Posts have been few and far between recently and for that I apologise. Hopefully this post will get this blog back on track this season.
I'll start with a word on Wednesday nights performance. For 89 minutes we were outplayed and quite frankly looked out of ideas. The only two players whose performances I remember are wonderful Sanchez who at the moment is carrying the entire squad and Gibbs who put in a real shift at left back. We were on the verge of a humiliating defeat and Chambers who had a poor night put in the cross of his life to find onrushing Gibbs who's side footed finish into the far corner was truly top drawer.
Then in a dramatic finale, some fantastic work in box fell to Podolski who had been desperately thrown on for Wilshere and the German turned and blasted the ball into the net sending the travel fans into delirium. It was a great win but it doesn't cover up the frailties and our make shift defence at the moment just looks so weak its concerning and this has been confounded by the news that Koscielny will be out for another month at least.
Anyway we're in Premier League action today away at Sunderland and we're desperate for a win. We've not won in the league since Aston Villa which was weeks ago and Sunderland will be dangerous today following their monumental (and rather suspicious) thrashing at the hands of Southampton. So we should go there under no illusion that they will be playing for everything.
Our team today will be interesting. Arteta is fit and I feel that he will come straight back into the side today. Our back line I think will swap around as it's pretty clear that Monreal isn't cut out to play centre back. As thats the case I expect Chambers to start alongside Mertesacker with Gibbs on the left and Bellerin on the right. That doesn't bother me much as I think Bellerin can hold his own well, he's fast and intelligent. Jack Wilshere starts his ban for picking up too many yellows so I think Ramsey will sit alongside Arteta. Our three behind Welbeck I think will be the OX, Cazorla and Sanchez from right to left.
Sunderland do have dangerous players in the shape of Fletcher the thug upfront and with others like Connor Wickham who every now and then puts in a stella performance. We will face our old keeper Mannone between the sticks who no doubt will still be hurting from last weeks performance and though he's a former player today we need to pile on the misery.
Midweek Gibbs was asked whether that result could be a springboard for this season and he said he hoped so. I think we all join him on that and let's hope it starts today with a nice comfortable win over Sunderland. COYG!
Showing posts with label Sunderland. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sunderland. Show all posts
Saturday, 25 October 2014
Friday, 13 September 2013
Sunderland (A)
After the boredom of the international break we return to Premier League action tomorrow and all of the buzz around the club is about our record signing potentially making his debut. However reports suggest that Özil missed training today due to illness along with fellow German team-mate Per Mertesacker. Must have been some dodgy Bratwurst or something.
So we may be made to wait until Wednesday or possibly even next weekend to see our new boy play. Either way we travel to the Stadium of Light short of players as it is. Rosicky, Sanogo and Zelalem add to our list of woes which now really does leave us with one striker. I said at the start of the window we were desperately in need of another striker and whilst I'm over the moon with Özil we still lack back up for Giroud.
In more positive news Thomas Vermaelen is back and in with a chance of playing which gives Wenger options to cover Mertesacker playing either him or Sagna at right back. With
Özil a doubt too we may see Wilshere slot in behind Giroud with Ramsey and Flamini holding the line in front of the defence. Despite the arrival of Viviano who I already can't help but like after watching his interview with Arsenal.com I think SZCZ will keep his place in the starting line up.
Sunderland have a team that is barely recognisable with Di Canio signing nearly a whole new starting 11 in the transfer window. There are some players that I know of and others that I don't but I would expect a few of them to start. Andre Dossena (if you remember from Liverpool) is a bit of a bruiser and could give Theo a few problems, however if Theo can get in behind him he'll struggle to keep up so that could be a potential area we could exploit.
Giaccherini is a doubt but Fletcher is back and could partner another new boy in Jozy Altidore upfront for Sunderland. We know Fletcher has goals so he'll be a threat, Altidore had a blistering season for AZ Alkmaar last year and he certainly knows where the net is. Despite scoring against MK Dons the other week he hasn't quite found his feet in the league yet but that could easily change against us. This is not an easy game and we'll need to be ready for it if we're to take all 3 points.
Let's hope our current run of form continues and we can ease to 3 points.
Prediction: Sunderland 1-2 Arsenal
So we may be made to wait until Wednesday or possibly even next weekend to see our new boy play. Either way we travel to the Stadium of Light short of players as it is. Rosicky, Sanogo and Zelalem add to our list of woes which now really does leave us with one striker. I said at the start of the window we were desperately in need of another striker and whilst I'm over the moon with Özil we still lack back up for Giroud.
In more positive news Thomas Vermaelen is back and in with a chance of playing which gives Wenger options to cover Mertesacker playing either him or Sagna at right back. With
Özil a doubt too we may see Wilshere slot in behind Giroud with Ramsey and Flamini holding the line in front of the defence. Despite the arrival of Viviano who I already can't help but like after watching his interview with Arsenal.com I think SZCZ will keep his place in the starting line up.
Sunderland have a team that is barely recognisable with Di Canio signing nearly a whole new starting 11 in the transfer window. There are some players that I know of and others that I don't but I would expect a few of them to start. Andre Dossena (if you remember from Liverpool) is a bit of a bruiser and could give Theo a few problems, however if Theo can get in behind him he'll struggle to keep up so that could be a potential area we could exploit.
Giaccherini is a doubt but Fletcher is back and could partner another new boy in Jozy Altidore upfront for Sunderland. We know Fletcher has goals so he'll be a threat, Altidore had a blistering season for AZ Alkmaar last year and he certainly knows where the net is. Despite scoring against MK Dons the other week he hasn't quite found his feet in the league yet but that could easily change against us. This is not an easy game and we'll need to be ready for it if we're to take all 3 points.
Let's hope our current run of form continues and we can ease to 3 points.
Prediction: Sunderland 1-2 Arsenal
Thursday, 7 February 2013
Sunderland (A)
As the game drew on I had that feeling that we would be staring down the barrel of another disappointing result. But then in the 78th minute Lukas Podolski's deflected shot found the bottom right hand corner. After a bizarre ruled out and ruled back in incident and rather amusing moment between us and the Stoke fans we had our goal and held on until the end. In all honesty Stoke turned up happy to try and absorb all the pressure and nick a point, but we always looked like scoring. Let's hope we can have a repeat performance against Sunderland this weekend.
Sunderland have been in a real hit and miss side this season. Beating City one week then losing to Reading the next. Let's hope we catch them on the off day when we travel up north on Saturday. Now we know Sunderland are a physical side much like Stoke and we know it'll be a tough game. Fletcher is their main target man having scored nearly double the amount of goals as their next highest scorer. We also have Danny Graham to contend with having signed for them in the window.
Vermaelen is still a doubt after failing to shake off an injury picked up before last weekends game. If he's still out Koscielny will step in again. Wenger will have a choice to make between keeping Diaby and Oxlade-Chamberlain in or returning to Podolski and Cazorla. I thought we looked more dangerous with the German and Spaniard in the team, however both, Cazorla especially needed a rest. I think Wenger will throw them back in this weekend. So: SZCZ(who might actually have a save to make this week), Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscileny, Monreal, Arteta, Wilshere, Cazorla, Walcott, Podolski, Giroud would be my guess at the team.
I thought Monreal overall was fairly solid against Stoke, he can certainly pick out a ball and he can certainly hold his own physically. He has a few wobbles but I'll put that down to nerves more than anything. It was great to see another Spaniard in the team in the form of Mikel Arteta, whose experience is desperately needed in the team. We're no doubt better off with him in the team so I'm glad to see him back.
It'll be a tough trip to Sunderland but let's hope we can grab another 3 points in the fight for the top 4. COYG!
Prediction: Sunderland 1-2 Arsenal
Vermaelen is still a doubt after failing to shake off an injury picked up before last weekends game. If he's still out Koscielny will step in again. Wenger will have a choice to make between keeping Diaby and Oxlade-Chamberlain in or returning to Podolski and Cazorla. I thought we looked more dangerous with the German and Spaniard in the team, however both, Cazorla especially needed a rest. I think Wenger will throw them back in this weekend. So: SZCZ(who might actually have a save to make this week), Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscileny, Monreal, Arteta, Wilshere, Cazorla, Walcott, Podolski, Giroud would be my guess at the team.
I thought Monreal overall was fairly solid against Stoke, he can certainly pick out a ball and he can certainly hold his own physically. He has a few wobbles but I'll put that down to nerves more than anything. It was great to see another Spaniard in the team in the form of Mikel Arteta, whose experience is desperately needed in the team. We're no doubt better off with him in the team so I'm glad to see him back.
It'll be a tough trip to Sunderland but let's hope we can grab another 3 points in the fight for the top 4. COYG!
Prediction: Sunderland 1-2 Arsenal
Tuesday, 21 August 2012
Sunderland, Song and Sahin?
OK so as you know I'm currently on my hols but as I have a few hours to kill I thought I'd just go over recent events and goings on.
Well let's start with the game on Saturday that sadly didn't get off to the start we all wanted. I didn't watch the game but was getting updates and saw the highlights after. It's always a gutter when you boss the game and create 20 plus chances to end up 0-0. We, in all honesty should have scored and won, the chance the fell to Giroud should have been 1-0 Arsenal but I think potentially nerves got the better of him and he put it wide. I said when we signed Giroud, it had the potential to be a really good buy, but I think he will take some time to settle. Podolski I'm not so worried about coming from a league with a much higher calibre of football, but Giroud may take a bit of time to bed in, let's hope it's not too long. Cazorla looked phenomenal, a real star, he could easily be our best player this season. His real test will come when we travel to middle earth on Sunday and take on that colony of orcs known as Stoke. If he stands up to them and still shines then we know we are most definitely on to a winner.
Unlike the RvP deal, I was really disappointed with Song. Firstly because the deal we struck was pitiful. £15m for someone of his quality with 3 years left, really Arsenal is that the best we can do? I am sad to see him leave after he said "I am happy at Arsenal" but once again greedy agent Darren Dein (wanker) turned his head away from us like countless other players over the last few seasons. I can't see Song playing much this season and it just feels like another deal that Dein had engineered in an effort to spite us fans. However the good news is that Song was our last player tethered to that unbearable fucker so we're rid of him at last.
Finally and I must say take this with a pinch of salt, the Sahin deal seems to be moving in the right direction with 'according to sky sources: a deal has been struck'. I suggest much of this has to do with the fact that the Luka Modric deal also seems to be moving in that direction. But please don't take this deal as done these are the same sky sources that claimed RvP was staying at Arsenal a day before he signed for United so...
Anyway looking ahead to Stoke on Sunday where hopefully we can get our first win of the season. Until then have a good week from a rather stormy Orlando.
Well let's start with the game on Saturday that sadly didn't get off to the start we all wanted. I didn't watch the game but was getting updates and saw the highlights after. It's always a gutter when you boss the game and create 20 plus chances to end up 0-0. We, in all honesty should have scored and won, the chance the fell to Giroud should have been 1-0 Arsenal but I think potentially nerves got the better of him and he put it wide. I said when we signed Giroud, it had the potential to be a really good buy, but I think he will take some time to settle. Podolski I'm not so worried about coming from a league with a much higher calibre of football, but Giroud may take a bit of time to bed in, let's hope it's not too long. Cazorla looked phenomenal, a real star, he could easily be our best player this season. His real test will come when we travel to middle earth on Sunday and take on that colony of orcs known as Stoke. If he stands up to them and still shines then we know we are most definitely on to a winner.
Unlike the RvP deal, I was really disappointed with Song. Firstly because the deal we struck was pitiful. £15m for someone of his quality with 3 years left, really Arsenal is that the best we can do? I am sad to see him leave after he said "I am happy at Arsenal" but once again greedy agent Darren Dein (wanker) turned his head away from us like countless other players over the last few seasons. I can't see Song playing much this season and it just feels like another deal that Dein had engineered in an effort to spite us fans. However the good news is that Song was our last player tethered to that unbearable fucker so we're rid of him at last.
Finally and I must say take this with a pinch of salt, the Sahin deal seems to be moving in the right direction with 'according to sky sources: a deal has been struck'. I suggest much of this has to do with the fact that the Luka Modric deal also seems to be moving in that direction. But please don't take this deal as done these are the same sky sources that claimed RvP was staying at Arsenal a day before he signed for United so...
Anyway looking ahead to Stoke on Sunday where hopefully we can get our first win of the season. Until then have a good week from a rather stormy Orlando.
Friday, 17 February 2012
Sunderland (A)
Lack of fight. Lack of passion. Lack of quality? These have all been factors that are to blame for the painful defeat we suffered on Wednesday. We were poor from start to finish, none of the players apart from Henry, RVP and when he came on Chamberlain seemed to care about the game. We were particularly poor at the back and got opened up time after time by the same lack of awareness. After beasting him since arrival I must admit, we missed Mertesacker. Yes he makes us defend much deeper than we normally would and yes hes slow but his height and organisation were missed. He keeps the line and on Wednesday there was no structure. We lost out in the air with Ibrahimovic winning every ball, there wasn't even a challenge. if we'd have scored there was a chance, but at 4-0 we need a miracle.
Anyway I think the quicker we move on from it the better. Now to our only chance of silverware this season and a really tricky FA cup against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light for the second weekend in a row and of all the teams you don't want to be playing right now Sunderland are up there (along with Tottenham who we play next weekend). Yes we won there last weekend but it was hardly convincing was it? This is going to be a real challenge and I can see it being a draw.
Team news and after limping off on Wednesday it appears Koscielny's injury isn't too bad and he should be back for the derby next weekend. This means that more than likely we'll have Djourou and Vermaelen at the back with Gibbs and Sagna in the full back roles. The rest of the team I would imagine will revert to normal Premier League standard with us playing 4-3-3 with the 2 wingers adopting their normal positions. Gervinho is back so Wenger will probably start him instead of the Ox.
Sunderland threats come from the usual suspects: Campbell, McClean and Larsson along with a few others. Once again however their lack of pace at the back is where we need to break and hopefully get in behind them. This is going to be a really hard game and we certainly worked for the points last week, lets hope that we can pull it out this time.
Until next time COGY!!
Prediction: Sunderland 1-1 Arsenal
Anyway I think the quicker we move on from it the better. Now to our only chance of silverware this season and a really tricky FA cup against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light for the second weekend in a row and of all the teams you don't want to be playing right now Sunderland are up there (along with Tottenham who we play next weekend). Yes we won there last weekend but it was hardly convincing was it? This is going to be a real challenge and I can see it being a draw.
Team news and after limping off on Wednesday it appears Koscielny's injury isn't too bad and he should be back for the derby next weekend. This means that more than likely we'll have Djourou and Vermaelen at the back with Gibbs and Sagna in the full back roles. The rest of the team I would imagine will revert to normal Premier League standard with us playing 4-3-3 with the 2 wingers adopting their normal positions. Gervinho is back so Wenger will probably start him instead of the Ox.
Sunderland threats come from the usual suspects: Campbell, McClean and Larsson along with a few others. Once again however their lack of pace at the back is where we need to break and hopefully get in behind them. This is going to be a really hard game and we certainly worked for the points last week, lets hope that we can pull it out this time.
Until next time COGY!!
Prediction: Sunderland 1-1 Arsenal
Friday, 10 February 2012
Sunderland (A)
Well nobody could have predicted that. Just what we needed after a few rocky weeks, to really open a team up and show what we can do. It was like watching Arsenal of old and memories came flooding back of when we scored 7 before notably against Everton and Middlesbrough. It was a blinding performance from RVP, Walcott who desperately needed to perform and Oxlade Chamberlain who just continues to impress. That said we can't get carried away, we have some difficult games coming up and we need to stay focused to keep up with Chelsea, Newcastle and Liverpool.
Sunderland are a team at the moment who have found a new life under Martin O'Neil (prick) and with a double header away up in the North East we by no means have it easy. Sunderland are a stubborn team and cause problems, they're difficult to break down and with the likes of Sessegnon going forward they don't lack goals. This will be a tough test for our defence who weren't really troubled last week. With Liverpool playing United and Tottenham playing Newcastle there's a chance to make up some ground, that said a point would still be a decent result up there.
So our team could well remain unchanged but with Ramsey being rested last week he might slot back in. Good news from the defensive aspect is Gibbs is back but I think this might be too soon for the fragile left back who'll do well to remain fit for the rest of the season given his track record. So I imagine the team will be relatively similar to the one we fielded last weekend.
Sunderland have some really dangerous players and they can score and defend fairly well. Sessegnon and Campbell work well upfront and with supply from Larsson and the young lad who has really impressed me McClean. So they'll have no problem going forward, their defence in itself isn't great Bardsley and O'Shea are slow and I fancy us having some joy down the left. Usually the rest of the team tracks back well but if we can break with some pace then we should stick 1 or 2 in.
It's a real tough one to predict here so I'm gonna be optimistic. Let's hope I'm right! COYG!!
Prediction: Sunderland 1-2 Arsenal
Sunderland are a team at the moment who have found a new life under Martin O'Neil (prick) and with a double header away up in the North East we by no means have it easy. Sunderland are a stubborn team and cause problems, they're difficult to break down and with the likes of Sessegnon going forward they don't lack goals. This will be a tough test for our defence who weren't really troubled last week. With Liverpool playing United and Tottenham playing Newcastle there's a chance to make up some ground, that said a point would still be a decent result up there.
So our team could well remain unchanged but with Ramsey being rested last week he might slot back in. Good news from the defensive aspect is Gibbs is back but I think this might be too soon for the fragile left back who'll do well to remain fit for the rest of the season given his track record. So I imagine the team will be relatively similar to the one we fielded last weekend.
Sunderland have some really dangerous players and they can score and defend fairly well. Sessegnon and Campbell work well upfront and with supply from Larsson and the young lad who has really impressed me McClean. So they'll have no problem going forward, their defence in itself isn't great Bardsley and O'Shea are slow and I fancy us having some joy down the left. Usually the rest of the team tracks back well but if we can break with some pace then we should stick 1 or 2 in.
It's a real tough one to predict here so I'm gonna be optimistic. Let's hope I'm right! COYG!!
Prediction: Sunderland 1-2 Arsenal
Saturday, 15 October 2011
Sunderland (H)
Apologies that this is late folks, I had a bit of a confusion yesterday but here we are. Sunderland at home tomorrow, in a game we really must win. With teams around us dropping points, we can capitalise and take a big jump to 10th possibly. I know 10th is nothing to write home about but its better than where we are. Sunderland are in equal amounts of shit, they sit a point below us in the table and also really need to win.
In recent years this fixture has been rather dull with last seasons game ending in a disappointing 0-0. So a goal fest it is. Sunderland to be fair haven't got much of a team with some high profile departures last season including the strictly "football-only" move of Gyan to the middle east. However with the acquisition of the worlds best footballer Nicholas Bendtner they should be doing much better.
Bendtner of course wont be playing tomorrow due to his loan terms. So that leaves them a little light upfront and I suspect they'll be playing Ji supported by Sessegnon. Both have been well lack luster so far but that can't last forever. Other threats include Lee Cattermole and Larsson on the left.
In Arsenal terms we have the return of a defensive trio of Djourou, Koscielny and Squillaci. So with Sagna out I would hope we will play Jenkinson that will be both a test and good experience for the lad. The article on Arsenal.com headlined Koscielny - I'm happy to play right back, did give me a scare earlier when I thought Wenger was going to do something stupid, but reading through I fairly certain the back four will be: Jenkinson, Mertesacker, Koscielny and Gibbs, right to left of course. The middle will be fairly standard with Walcott and Gervinho on the wings and RVP alone upfront as usual.
Hopefully the internationals have given everyone some time to clear their heads and get away from it all for a bit, but tomorrow its firmly back to business and I think everyone realises that we need to start to build some momentum and at the moment the most important thing is taking it one game at a time. We have some big games coming up but until 3.15 tomorrow Sunderland are all we can afford to think about.
Till Tuesday, come on Arsenal!
Prediction: Arsenal 2-0 Sunderland
In recent years this fixture has been rather dull with last seasons game ending in a disappointing 0-0. So a goal fest it is. Sunderland to be fair haven't got much of a team with some high profile departures last season including the strictly "football-only" move of Gyan to the middle east. However with the acquisition of the worlds best footballer Nicholas Bendtner they should be doing much better.
Bendtner of course wont be playing tomorrow due to his loan terms. So that leaves them a little light upfront and I suspect they'll be playing Ji supported by Sessegnon. Both have been well lack luster so far but that can't last forever. Other threats include Lee Cattermole and Larsson on the left.
In Arsenal terms we have the return of a defensive trio of Djourou, Koscielny and Squillaci. So with Sagna out I would hope we will play Jenkinson that will be both a test and good experience for the lad. The article on Arsenal.com headlined Koscielny - I'm happy to play right back, did give me a scare earlier when I thought Wenger was going to do something stupid, but reading through I fairly certain the back four will be: Jenkinson, Mertesacker, Koscielny and Gibbs, right to left of course. The middle will be fairly standard with Walcott and Gervinho on the wings and RVP alone upfront as usual.
Hopefully the internationals have given everyone some time to clear their heads and get away from it all for a bit, but tomorrow its firmly back to business and I think everyone realises that we need to start to build some momentum and at the moment the most important thing is taking it one game at a time. We have some big games coming up but until 3.15 tomorrow Sunderland are all we can afford to think about.
Till Tuesday, come on Arsenal!
Prediction: Arsenal 2-0 Sunderland
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