Arsenal vs Wolfsburg - Emirates Cup Sun 26 Jul 16:20 Live BT Sports 1

[McNamara That Ghost...]

And also the Lyon - Villarreal game.

Bendtner is going to ruin it all.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Lyon 0-1 Villarreal, Soriano.

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

Is De Bruyne in the Wolfsburg squad

[The Emirates Gallactico]

Is De Bruyne in the Wolfsburg squad

Yes, though he played yesterday so I'm not sure whether he'll feature against us today then.

[Marc Overmars]

Had tickets for today but didn't bother going, I'm lacking little bit sharpness from drinking last night.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Lyon 0-2 Villarreal, Baptistao!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Arsenal: Cech, Monreal, Chambers, Gabriel, Bellerin, Arteta, Cazorla, Wilshere, Özil, Reine-Adelaide, Walcott.

[The Emirates Gallactico]

Akpom :rose:

Flamini :rose:

Ozil playing twice in two days??

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Flamini isn't even among the subs. :lol:

[Niall_Quinn]

Arsenal: Cech, Monreal, Chambers, Gabriel, Bellerin, Arteta, Cazorla, Wilshere, Özil, Reine-Adelaide, Walcott.

Wenger irritates the fuck out of me - he really does.

What would be the harm of sticking the first eleven out there and getting a head start on finding a bit of form?

LOOK! If the guy can make it harder for us he will do it!

That's a fucking idiotic team selection. Fucking idiotic.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Can't see the problem really. Even if he did play the first eleven, he'd be hauling them off after 45 minutes anyway.

[Letters]

Can't see the problem really.

You have to look pretty close, but you'll find one if you make one up.

[The Emirates Gallactico]

Yeah me neither (assuming you're serious NQ and not parodying Zim here).


No point burning out some of the first teamers in a meaningless friendly ..... hence my surprise at Ozil starting again. Plus it's a chance for some squad players like Chambers and Gabriel to get playing time before the start of the season.

Besides with the likes of Cech, Santi, Ozil, Theo etc featuring it's a pretty strong line up which does have a lot of the first team in there.

[cheesy bites]

Don't fall into my Football Manager trap. Play the first team over and over in pre season, end up burnt out a month into the season, the backups are out of match fitness and pissed off, and the drop down the table begins, until you get sacked and end up managing Barnet.

Also we just won the Emirates Cup.

[Niall_Quinn]

Don't fall into my Football Manager trap. Play the first team over and over in pre season, end up burnt out a month into the season, the backups are out of match fitness and pissed off, and the drop down the table begins, until you get sacked and end up managing Barnet.

Also we just won the Emirates Cup.

This is the last game of the pre-season before the action starts. If you can't play the first team now then why bother playing matches at all, just have a glorified fitness camp and behind the scenes matches. Match sharpness and match fitness doesn't come from these friendlies anyway, but cohesion can.

As I said, Wenger irritates the fuck out of me.

[Niall_Quinn]

Can't see the problem really. Even if he did play the first eleven, he'd be hauling them off after 45 minutes anyway.

Fine, no problem with that. But give the first eleven even a bit of a run out before the big game next week. And it is a big game, not because there's some meaningless shield on offer but because we absolutely must kick things off with a win against those chavs.

[Master Splinter]

N_Q is on the verge of fully transforming into an internet rage warrior.

And all on the back of the Emirates Cup.

He's cracking up.

[Niall_Quinn]

You have to look pretty close, but you'll find one if you make one up.

Ten years being second best because of a stubborn old goat is a clue you could try hunting down - see where it leads.

[Niall_Quinn]

N_Q is on the verge of fully transforming into an internet rage warrior.

And all on the back of the Emirates Cup.

He's cracking up.

Shut the fu.....

[breathe]

No. It's just I think we have the squad to challenge this season so I don't want to see any of Wenger's weirdness fucking it up.

[Master Splinter]

Rene-Adelaide is eerily similar to Diaby in his general movements too.

Wenger has replaced his son.

[Niall_Quinn]

David James appears to be a complete wanker.

[Master Splinter]

No. It's just I think we have the squad to challenge this season so I don't want to see any of Wenger's weirdness fucking it up.

WUMger is here to stay.

Forever.

And he earns £8 million.

£8 million.

8.

Million.

[Niall_Quinn]

Theo signing 4 year extension :bow:

Good lad.

[Niall_Quinn]

WUMger is here to stay.

Forever.

And he earns £8 million.

£8 million.

8.

Million.

He earns his £8mill and then some - never had an issue with that. I even admire his refusal to accept the realities of the modern game on principle. But I'd rather he became a politician if he wants to fight that battle. In the meantime, let's just do the basic stuff properly, for a change.

[Master Splinter]

Theo's goal highlight reel is seriously impressive. You'd think you were watching Henry or RVC at their best at times.

Shame he's been injured half his career and can be almost as bad as Townsend on occasion.

[Niall_Quinn]

Santi :bow:

[adzzzbatch]

Beautiful pass from Cazorla.

[Master Splinter]

Bellerin is so good.

Fuck off Barca.

[The Emirates Gallactico]

You don't win the league with a strong first XI, you win it with a strong squad. You need to have a generally happy and settled group of players who can all work and function together and who can each come in to do a role when required.

Not giving the likes of Gabriel, Chambers, Jack etc etc any minutes to gain match sharpness and experience where feasibly possible (like in a friendly like this one) and throwing them in the deep end only once one of Per/Kos/Ozil breaks down would be the height of bad management from Wenger and something worthy of actual scorn.

[Niall_Quinn]

You don't win the league with a strong first XI, you win it with a strong squad. You need to have a generally happy and settled group of players who can all work and function together and who can each come in to do a role when required.

Not giving the likes of Gabriel, Chambers, Jack etc etc any minutes to gain match sharpness and experience where feasibly possible (like in a friendly like this one) and throwing them in the deep end only once one of Per/Kos/Ozil breaks down would be the height of bad management from Wenger and something worthy of actual scorn.

I assume that's what all the other pre-season games were for?

[McNamara That Ghost...]

We need to avoid a goalless defeat to win the tournament.

A goal would be enough I think.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Bendtner. :lol:

Still shit.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Good clearance from Bendtner, could've been dangerous otherwise.

[Niall_Quinn]

Lord Nik :haha:

Would have thought he couldn't miss with a head that size.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Monreal flukes a block.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Who needs to be that cynical in a friendly? :lol:

[Niall_Quinn]

Theo :doh:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Theo in, goes with his right, think he could have squared it - Benaglio saves.

[Niall_Quinn]

Difference you get with a keeper who can distribute it.

[adzzzbatch]

Walcott :haha:

[Master Splinter]

Theo :doh:.

[Niall_Quinn]

Oh come on Theo FFS! He's asleep.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Rusty Theo.

Great floated ball from Wheelchair.

[Niall_Quinn]

Jack probably needs to stop going in horizontally for every challenge. I love the enthusiasm but how long can he go without breaking something, or somebody?

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Adelaide. :bow:

Always rated it as a city.

[Niall_Quinn]

Defence playing really badly again.

[GP]

Melbourne :lol:

Awful Adelaide

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Does Dennis Bendtner just earn 3k a week now?

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Klose being a cynical fuck again. Booked.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Cech's distribution is pretty good, or maybe I have just been used to see Ches booting it out of play.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Özil stumbles it wide.

[Niall_Quinn]

Close by Ozil, too much of a stretch.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

0-0 HT. Bit of a snooze mainly.

[Niall_Quinn]

Really poor by Jack. That was a good chance.

HT.

Wolfsburg pretty neat and tidy. Our team too disjointed and disorganised to pose much of a threat, thought when we have got in Theo has fluffed it up. Defence are really, really poor - all over the place.

Difference between Coquelin playing and not playing is a worry. If he gets injured our season is gone. But Wenger knows best.

[Master Splinter]

Does Dennis Bendtner just earn 3k a week now?

:lol:

People who believed that :doh:.

[Master Splinter]

We are a much more effective team when we have two forwards playing, or at least one forward with runners to accompany him.

Yesterday, Wenger started with three such players. Today, WUMger has reverted back to a largely ineffective five in midfield.

I hope Wenger is back from next week.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Özil off, Akpom on.

[Master Splinter]

THEOOOOOOOOO!!!!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

THEO!!!!

Great football.

[Niall_Quinn]

Good Theo slots it home!

1-0

[McNamara That Ghost...]

The Emirates Cup is ours!

:cloud9:

[Master Splinter]

Rene-Adelaide :bow:.

[Niall_Quinn]

The Aussie kid is a decent player.

[GP]

Adelaide is awesome.

What a find by Wenger :bow:

[Niall_Quinn]

The Emirates Cup is ours!

:cloud9:

All ours

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Reno-Adelaide. :bow:

[Master Splinter]

De Bruyne :haha:.

£60m :haha:.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Old Man Arteta gives De Bruyne the chance to embarrass him. De Bruyne boots it out the stadium.

[Niall_Quinn]

De Bruyne :haha:.

£60m :haha:.

Yes, but they can sell him to PSG for £80mill.

[Master Splinter]

Rene-Adelaide looks like a member of Five Star.

[Niall_Quinn]

Excellent tracking back and tackling by the shit Arteta

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Cech with a comfortable save.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

That would've been an incredible goal from Theo.

[Master Splinter]

Rene-Adelaide is running the game.

[Niall_Quinn]

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

That was football worth watching. Such a shame that didn't go in.

[Niall_Quinn]

Bad Aaron/ Incredibly Good Aaron coming on for the shit Arteta (who played quite well)

[McNamara That Ghost...]

What a save from Cech to deny Guilavogui's howitzer.

[Niall_Quinn]

Ox coming on too :bow:

Aussie goes off - great performance from him.

[Globalgunner]

Rene-Adelaide looks like a member of Five Star.

MS you are older than you look, if you remember Five Star

[Master Splinter]

Jeff :bow:.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Wilshere goes for the audacious.

Ox. :bow:

Beast Mode.

[Niall_Quinn]

Ox :bow:

Jack :doh:

[Master Splinter]

MS you are older than you look, if you remember Five Star

You've seen me?

Also, I am aware of things that happened before I was born.

Like dinosaurs and unicorns.

[GP]

MS you are older than you look, if you remember Five Star


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bfKredivMU

[Niall_Quinn]

If Sterling is worth £50mill, how much is Ox worth? £2.5bill?

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Naldo. :lol:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Benaglia saves from Santi's freekick.

[Niall_Quinn]

Bif on for Theo.

[Niall_Quinn]

Hayden for Jack

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Theo off, Bif on.

Me. :lol:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Akpom doesn't really know what he is doing.

[The Emirates Gallactico]

MoTM performance from Lord Bendtner for us. He still has it.

[Niall_Quinn]

Nik subbed and gets a good round of applause from the crowd.

[Niall_Quinn]

Akpom doesn't really know what he is doing.

The Wolfsburg defenders don't know what he's doing either.

[The Emirates Gallactico]

Akpom doesn't really know what he is doing.

Always seems too eager to impress. Needs to just calm down and keep it simple.

He's killed it at the reserve level but sadly he hasn't as of yet made the jump up to first team football. Still has time though.

[Maestro]

So does today's performance, as opposed to yesterday's, mean that we need a striker again?

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Hey, Arnold!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Schurrle. :haha:

[The Emirates Gallactico]

Jeez Akpom is really stinking the place up.

[Master Splinter]

Akpom is really thick.

I think he'd do better centrally though.

[Niall_Quinn]

Nobody knows what Akpom is doing.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Akpom. :haha:

That is terrible.

[Niall_Quinn]

We've only gone and won the Emirate Cup!

Two finals two trophies.

We may not win the league or the CL this year, but when Letters looks back this is what he'll remember.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

CHAMPIONS! :trophy:

[The Emirates Gallactico]

Highest point tally ever in the Emirates Cup :trophy:


Good win against a good team even in the performance wasn't as stellar as it could have been. Wolfsburg are quality, German cup winners and second place team in the Bundesliga with good wins against Bayern and Dortmund last season.


Cech continues to impress. It's been too long since we've had a competent keeper.

[Niall_Quinn]

Fairly decent second half performance tbf, with some really good moments. Shame that Theo curler didn't go in.

Ox has looked great all pre-season. Ramsey threatening to be more good than awful.

[Niall_Quinn]

What the fuck is David James on about? Did Cech screw his wife or something?

[The Emirates Gallactico]

Oh yeah, Pre season treble is now on.

Barclays Asia Trophy, Emirates Cup and the Community Shield. :trophy:


Wenger :bow:

Like London buses.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Cech should retire if we win the Community Shield tbf.

[Özim]

We've only gone and won the Emirate Cup!

Two finals two trophies.

We may not win the league or the CL this year, but when Letters looks back this is what he'll remember.

:lol:

[Letters]

WUMming :bow:

[Maestro]

What the fuck is David James on about? Did Cech screw his wife or something?

i think cech broke his appearances and clean sheet records, then shagged his mrs. things ain't been the same since for james.

[Maestro]

We've only gone and won the Emirate Cup!

Two finals two trophies.

We may not win the league or the CL this year, but when Letters looks back this is what he'll remember.

tbf Cech has been here 2 minutes, and he's bagged two trophies ...you can't beat that kind of success rate.