Arsenal vs Middlesbrough. 22nd Oct. 15:00

[Marc Overmars]

I'd like to see Gibbs keep his place. I thought he was really good last night, Ludogorets had some nippy players that were causing trouble but he did well considering how little he's played.

Other than that, I think the team picks itself right now.

Should be another 3 points really, as long as we aren't careless like the Swansea game.

2-0.

[Niall_Quinn]

3-0 Ozil hattrick

[Goonermerree]

Middlesbrough was terrible last Sunday, if we can't knock another 6 past them... Hat trick for Wally and Ozil this time. We'll have to watch out for their tackling though, lots of tackling without any attempt to get the ball, shocking!:o

[Kano]

1-1 draw for this.

[Marc Overmars]

3-0 Ozil hattrick

Never going to happen.

[fakeyank]

0-3 loss

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

Who do we want in for Cazorla?

[The Emirates Gallactico]

Who do we want in for Cazorla?

Elneny.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Cazorla thinks he'll be alright.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

He is wrong though.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CvX6-GBWIAEf0YU.jpg

[AFC Leveller]

Elnenny replaces xaka, otherwise unchanged from Swansea.

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

Cazorla and Elneny?

[Kano]

We'll be up against a defensive wall for most of the game, makes sense with all of them being rested for the Reading game. Santi was training the other day so hopefully up to speed.

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

If Cazorla is unfit and Xhaka suspended not much you can do, however I think Coquelin and Elneny is going to be problematic to breaking down a defence because if they deign to come forward at all, we won't be able to break as quickly as neither Coq or Elneny have the passing skills of the other two.

Elneny could be a useful bulldozer though.

[Kano]

Santi doesn't even make the bench, so either little setback or just being cautious.

[Globalgunner]

Its the old goats 67th birthday today. . Cmon lads lets make it a merry day. 3 points pls

[Goonermerree]

Three points and a goal fest.

[Goonermerree]

Interestingly, Moss is not reffing in the Prem this week, he's down in the Championship

[Goonermerree]

Here we go, Come on Arsenal!

[Kano]

I think we might draw but a win please, even if it's an absolute shitfest.

[adzzzbatch]

Come on we need to score before this lot start to get in it.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

He is wrong though.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CvX6-GBWIAEf0YU.jpg

Boro: Valdes, Barragan, Ayala, Gibson, Friend, De Roon, Clayton, Traore, Forshaw, Ramirez, Negredo.

[adzzzbatch]

Poor fk.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Elneny boom, wide it goes.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

WTF Theo?

[Goonermerree]

Krankey is at the match.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

No pel?

[Goonermerree]

Apparently not!

[GP]

1-0 to Mike Dean

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Mustafi. :bow:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Double save from Cech! :bow:

[Niall_Quinn]

If we're going to play this horrifying tippy tappy garbage then we could at least pass the ball to our own players instead of the opposition :doh:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Negredo's shot was going wide. :haha:

What a miss.

[Goonermerree]

Our tippy tappy game doesn't work against teams that defend like this, just change it up a bit and knock balls into the defence or shoot more. Phew, they nearly scored!

[Goonermerree]

And again!

[Niall_Quinn]

And that's why you can't afford to fuck around. Just one fluke and for all our poxy possession we'll be a goal behind.

[Xhaka Can’t]

Bloody hell Kos.

Ospina would have let both of those in.

And the fk.

And that attack just there.


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[McNamara That Ghost...]

Freekick to us, dangerous area.

[adzzzbatch]

We're terrible at times.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Valdes saves from Alexis.

[Goonermerree]

And that's why you can't afford to fuck around. Just one fluke and for all our poxy possession we'll be a goal behind.

The oppo gets into a comfort zone, but I think we just go into auto mode and when a team breaks like that, they're still hypnotised by their own tippy tappy play.

[Goonermerree]

I don't think ngrado's sp head was even touched then.

[Goonermerree]

Ah Monreal, from a great attacking position, just loses the ball

[Niall_Quinn]

Negrado cheating, as usual. Not even Dean could be bothered with that one.

[Goonermerree]

Looks like my hoped for goal fest is going out of the window.

[adzzzbatch]

It pisses me off when we make shit teams look good esp when they've only got on tactic.

[adzzzbatch]

Looks like my hoped for goal fest is going out of the window.

Back to same old Arsenal, all the possession but the other team with the best chances.

[Niall_Quinn]

Dean right not to Book Bellerin for holding that diving bastard.

[Goonermerree]

Despite our possession, let's be honest, we haven't looked like scoring.

[Goonermerree]

Two shots on goal I think the commentator said.

[Xhaka Can’t]

Poor so far.

Get to halftime without fucking up and hopefully we'll get going in the second half.


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[Niall_Quinn]

That wasn't bad play going forward, right up until Elneny got the ball and FUCKING AGAIN slowed it right down and passed it backwards.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Cech. :bow:

[Goonermerree]

Cech's keeping us in this. Ospina would have scored two by now

[adzzzbatch]

:sleep:

I am actually falling asleep on the sofa watching this.

[Xhaka Can’t]

Cech, MOTM so far.


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[Goonermerree]

That wasn't bad play going forward, right up until Elneny got the ball and FUCKING AGAIN slowed it right down and passed it backwards.

I read an article where Elneny said that he was told not to shoot and he understood why now.:wacko:

[adzzzbatch]

Cech's keeping us in this. Ospina would have scored two by now

Pretty unfair on Ospina tbf.

Arsenal :lol:

[Niall_Quinn]

Thank goodness Cech is back on form. Embarrassing stuff. Tip, tap, tip, tap then Boro say fuck this, nothing to fear here, let's go and beat these turds.

What's the point of Alexis and Walcott being on the pitch if all we are going to do is tip, tap, tip, tap?

[adzzzbatch]

Middleborough have had the best of it. Pathetic.

[Goonermerree]

Thank goodness Cech is back on form. Embarrassing stuff. Tip, tap, tip, tap then Boro say fuck this, nothing to fear here, let's go and beat these turds.

What's the point of Alexis and Walcott being on the pitch if all we are going to do is tip, tap, tip, tap?

Out pissy passy play put's the opposition into a comfort zone, then they get cocky and score,

[Globalgunner]

We should be at least 2 goals down

[Xhaka Can’t]

Goal attempts: Arsenal 3, Boro 8


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[adzzzbatch]

We've created fuck all.

[Kano]

I read an article where Elneny said that he was told not to shoot and he understood why now.:wacko:

Because Wenger hates goals and football.

[adzzzbatch]

Goal attempts: Arsenal 3, Boro 8


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*sigh* :ilt:

[gunnerrrrr]

No Carzola...we look fairly average....co-incidence? Doubt it, imo our most important player and massively underrated.

[Xhaka Can’t]

Cazorla is a really important player.


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[Xhaka Can’t]

Snap!


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[Goonermerree]

boro growing in confidence with every minute. They looked very shaky against Watford last Sunday, we are giving them the confidence.

[gunnerrrrr]

Snap!


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haha great minds mate

[Niall_Quinn]

Elneny is just gash. Every time the ball comes to him he does something negative. Looks a totally different player to the one who arrived here and it doesn't take a genius to figure out why that is.

[adzzzbatch]

Shite.

[Goonermerree]

Come on Arsenal, score before half time and knock the stuffing out of them.

[Niall_Quinn]

Better by Alexis. Yes, he's offside, but at least he's running into the areas that are going to stretch a currently comfortable Boro defence.

[adzzzbatch]

Embarrassing half of football.

[Goonermerree]

At least we've woken up a bit and are actually running now.

[Xhaka Can’t]

What in shits name was that from Theo?


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[Niall_Quinn]

Tragic by Walnut.

[Xhaka Can’t]

Booooooo!


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[McNamara That Ghost...]

0-0 HT.

Not so good.

[Niall_Quinn]

But we've woken up at least. I bet you those possession stats have plunged now we are doing something worthwhile with the ball.

[Goonermerree]

What a load of rubbish! Theo better get his act together second half.

[The Emirates Gallactico]

Just woke up (it was a late night).

What the fuck? Come on Arsenal. We need to capitalise of Spurs dropping points earlier!

[Niall_Quinn]

HT. Pathetic. One step forward, two back in Wenger LaLa Land.

[adzzzbatch]

Probably one of the easiest half's of football Middlesbrough will play all season.

[adzzzbatch]

1 shot on target, but 72% possession :bow:

Watching those replays again it's amazing were not behind.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Come on Arsenal. :bow:

[Goonermerree]

Right, let's make this our half, we could still get the goal fest if we're on 'em quick.

[Goonermerree]

Sanchez smacked in the mouth.

[Niall_Quinn]

Straight back into the same shit. That 72% possession would have delighted the old has-been. More of the same then.

Should have been red for Ayala but his name is not Xhaka.

[Niall_Quinn]

Hard to know how Kos missed that. Open goal.

[Goonermerree]

we're wanting to much time on the ball in their box.

[Goonermerree]

Boro were fouling left right and centre against Watford last Sunday.

[Niall_Quinn]

So Boro up to 100 fouls. Soon there may be a yellow card.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Valdes saves from Alexis.

[Goonermerree]

So Boro up to 100 fouls. Soon there may be a yellow card.

Yeh but they're not cynical ones, not at all!!!!!

[Niall_Quinn]

Boro were fouling left right and centre against Watford last Sunday.

There have been 3 or 4 clear red card offences (according to the Xhaka Clause) where no attempt was made to play the ball and the player was hauled down. Not even a mention, ket alone a red. Showing again how Xhaka's red was a one-off, made-up ruling.

[Niall_Quinn]

Great effort from Alexis. Valdes saves it and then wastes the remainder of the 90 minutes pretending to be injured.

[Goonermerree]

There have been 3 or 4 clear red card offences (according to the Xhaka Clause) where no attempt was made to play the ball and the player was hauled down. Not even a mention, ket alone a red. Showing again how Xhaka's red was a one-off, made-up ruling.

I've seen loads of those since Xhaka was sent off. It makes me mad!

[Goonermerree]

I wasn't panicking at the start of the half, but I am getting jittery now. We just don't know how to beat teams who come and defend.

[Niall_Quinn]

Valdes not even challenged. Easy catch from the corner.

[adzzzbatch]

Shocking from us.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Cech saves from Traore. :bow:

[Goonermerree]

Theo has gone awol again. Come on Theo, we need you

[adzzzbatch]

Same shit again.

[Goonermerree]

We win this, we go top. Is it too much for this team to do that? We are leaving ourselves wide open at the back.

[Niall_Quinn]

I wasn't panicking at the start of the half, but I am getting jittery now. We just don't know how to beat teams who come and defend.

It's not that ew don't know how, we don't try. To play a slow, possession focused game against a team determined to defend is just about as insane as you can get. You must have pace, must have directness, must be prepared to lose the ball if necessary in order to make things happen. Either Wenger orders them to play precisely the wrong way or else all these players are fuckwits. Pretty damn sure I know who the culprit is.

Boro breaking on us now, pace, directness, make the defenders work. The old goat won't notice though, he'll be looking at the possession stats and programming the laptop to bring gibbs on at 72 mins.

[Goonermerree]

Ref needs to keep an eye on these time wasting tactics.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Mustafi booked. :bow:

[Goonermerree]

That would have been a red last week.

[adzzzbatch]

So last week it was a red but only a yellow today? :unsure:

[Goonermerree]

Bloody hell, come on Arsenal! This team was absolute rubbish last week, we have made them look good and now they are good.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Alexis fluffs it.

[Niall_Quinn]

Mustafi booked for doing what Xhaka did. More proof Xhaka's sending off is not a real rule.

[adzzzbatch]

Just hit the fucking thing!

[A Gunner]

Iwobi off
Lucas on

[Goonermerree]

Theo, you have the pace. Why pass it back when you can run at the defence and be in on goal?

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Iwobi off, Lucas on.

[Globalgunner]

Sanchez chose today to impersonate Walnut

[Niall_Quinn]

Come on Alexis! We need those to go in FFS!

[Goonermerree]

COME ON ARSENAL! It's not going to happen is it? I've given up on the goal fest, I just want 3 points.

[adzzzbatch]

If we give them their first clean sheet :censored:

[adzzzbatch]

Wenger's Birthday :doh:

[Goonermerree]

We're not winning any of these aerial balls in the box.

[Niall_Quinn]

What a fuck up by Monreal. How many chances does he want?

[Niall_Quinn]

Wenger's Birthday :doh:

He got 72% possession in the first half. He'll be delighted with that.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Elneny off, Ox on.

[A Gunner]

Ox on
Elneny off

[The Emirates Gallactico]

Fuck's sake come on lads. Don't screw up my weekend.

[Goonermerree]

Come on Ox, make a name for yourself!

[Niall_Quinn]

Theo :doh:

He's consistent in his shocking inconsistency.

[Niall_Quinn]

Ox for Elneny at least makes sense. Computer must be broken.

[The Emirates Gallactico]

Stan Kroenke and his son in the stands. :rolleyes:

[Goonermerree]

I don't understand why Lucas was brought on in a match like this when we need to score. He should have played him against Ludo from the start, give him some game time.

[Niall_Quinn]

Stan Kroenke and his son in the stands. :rolleyes:

The Rams are playing here in the UK tomorrow.

[adzzzbatch]

I knew I shouldn't have let Wednesday night get my hopes up.

[The Emirates Gallactico]

We need to try shooting and putting early balls in. They've got 10 men behind the ball, we're not going to break them down using conventional methods.

[Niall_Quinn]

That's fucking appalling from Coq. He had men left and right, so he plays it into Alexis who has 3 markers. Anything to keep the centre congested.

[Xhaka Can’t]

Been away preparing tonight's dinner.

Did I miss much?

Anything?


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[Goonermerree]

Our hopes were heightened, only to be dashed, I have that familiar, frustrated feeling.

[The Emirates Gallactico]

I knew I shouldn't have let Wednesday night get my hopes up.


Same scoreline against Middlesbrough please.

You jinxed it. :sulk:

[Niall_Quinn]

Been away preparing tonight's dinner.

Did I miss much?

Anything?


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Yes. We flagrantly broke the 72 min sub rule by bringing Perez on after 65 mins.

[Munchies]

Same shit again from the Wenker in charge

FUCK OFF WENGER you old......................

[Goonermerree]

Come on Arsenal, keep going until the end, they might , just might, give up.

[adzzzbatch]

Downing coming on :lol:

[Niall_Quinn]

That's dire by Ozil. :doh:

[The Emirates Gallactico]

FFS Lucas should have scored instead of the one extra pass back to Theo.

[Goonermerree]

I don't know why I do this to myself.

[adzzzbatch]

You jinxed it. :sulk:

I did :(

[Niall_Quinn]

I think if we keep forcing it into a packed centre eventually a bobble will go our way and we might get a shot on goal. Provided Theo's not taking it we might even score. Whether that happens in the next 60 years, not sure.

[Goonermerree]

Just get it in the box, I'll take a pel now.

[Niall_Quinn]

Alexis has to do so much better there. At least challenge the keeper.

[Goonermerree]

Boro could nick this.

[adzzzbatch]

Easy as you like for Middlesbrough. FFS.

[The Emirates Gallactico]

Sigh this just isn't our day.

[Goonermerree]

4 mns to go, just get the ball forwards, stop dithering with it in our half. Oops Wenger off his bench shouting.

[Niall_Quinn]

Walcott just had to play a short pass there to get Perez in. He couldn't do it. He gets paid over a hundred grad a week to do that. Talk about robbery.

[adzzzbatch]

I think I've seen enough.

[The Emirates Gallactico]

Fucking hell Kos. Stops Boro nicking it.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Five added minutes.

How? :lol:

[Goonermerree]

Kos brilll,5 mins stoppage time come on.

[dostoy]

We only played less than 3 days ago, we have the chance to go top and 3 points clear of Spuds.

These are classic ingredients for a cock up.

It is so predictable as always.

[Niall_Quinn]

Have we put even one cross in that has found a target? I don't think so.

Fortunately the best player ever in the PL, Negredo, is a pile of shit. And was a pile of shit back then too.

[Niall_Quinn]

Five added minutes.

How? :lol:

Wenger's birthday.

[Goonermerree]

This is really going to ruin my weekend.

[Munchies]

WENKER HAS ROBBED 100M FROM ARSENAL FC FOR A DECADE

[The Emirates Gallactico]

This is really going to ruin my weekend.

Mine to. 3 points here is the same as getting 3 points against the Mancs or Scum.

[Niall_Quinn]

This is really going to ruin my weekend.

Not mine. I wasn't fooled for a second. Seen this over and over and over again and the one constant is the man who can't see it.

[The Emirates Gallactico]

OFFSIDE!

Fuck!!!

[The Emirates Gallactico]

Theo offside now! Misses anyway.

Fuck!

[The Emirates Gallactico]

Oh right. We're not going to do this lads.

[Niall_Quinn]

Now I'd agree - unfair as it is - THIS is the moment for a big player to step up. An Alexis or Ozil.


FUCK Ozil! Scores!!!!

FUCK OFF YOU CUNT LINESMAN!

Fuck!

[A Gunner]

0 - 0 FT

[McNamara That Ghost...]

0-0 FT. :doh:

Stil, we're top. :lol:

[The Emirates Gallactico]

Full Time.

0 - 0

FUCK!

[Munchies]

JUST FUCK OFF WENGER, massive fraud

[Goonermerree]

Not mine. I wasn't fooled for a second. Seen this over and over and over again and the one constant is the man who can't see it.

I was suckered in I'm afraid

[Niall_Quinn]

Not going to happen. We blew it.

WHAT A FUCKING SURPRISE! FIRST TIME EVER!

[Marc Overmars]

We're back!

[The Emirates Gallactico]

Cocking bollocks.

[Munchies]

Title bottled in October

WUMger / WENKER :bow:

[adzzzbatch]

Nice one Arsenal :rolleyes:

[Niall_Quinn]

LOOOOOOOOOOL straight into the centre again to a man marked by 10 players. :doh:

It is fucking pathetic.

FT :haha:

Same old, same old.


C H O K E ! ! !

[Goonermerree]

It's not even November!!!! I am so mad!!!!

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

Meh, always going to happen. Without players like Cazorla and Elneny we were going to find it difficult to launch quick enough attacks especially when we play a very one dimensional game.

What actually concerns me more, is that in the three games we've played in the last seven days at the Emirates the amount of chances we've given the opposistion. Utterly careless play

[Niall_Quinn]

What's hilarious is there are fans out there who are pretending this hasn't happened a thousand times already. Fucking cocks singing "Where's you banner" Stupid twats who stick up for Wenger no matter what.

Now any team can lose or draw a game. Any team can have a bad day. But NO TEAM is so predictable when it comes to the key moments in the season. We collapse EVERY TIME! It was so essential to hit the top today and prove things were different this 13th time around. But they aren't different. They are EXACTLY the same.

And for all his apologists we all know who is responsible.

[Niall_Quinn]

Meh, always going to happen. Without players like Cazorla and Elneny we were going to find it difficult to launch quick enough attacks especially when we play a very one dimensional game.

What actually concerns me more, is that in the three games we've played in the last seven days at the Emirates the amount of chances we've given the opposistion. Utterly careless play

Elneny was playing! And he was utter shite.

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

Elneny was playing! And he was utter shite.

I meant Xhaka, don't know why I said Elneny

[Niall_Quinn]

I meant Xhaka, don't know why I said Elneny

You probably fancy him.

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

What's hilarious is there are fans out there who are pretending this hasn't happened a thousand times already. Fucking cocks singing "Where's you banner" Stupid twats who stick up for Wenger no matter what.

Now any team can lose or draw a game. Any team can have a bad day. But NO TEAM is so predictable when it comes to the key moments in the season. We collapse EVERY TIME! It was so essential to hit the top today and prove things were different this 13th time around. But they aren't different. They are EXACTLY the same.

And for all his apologists we all know who is responsible.

I think people who are surprised are a very vocal minority

People know he always sees out a contract but you just have to think if this is another groundhog season (and seen nothing so far to suggest it isn't) there will be a sizeable amount of people who will just think sod it and stop turning up.

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

You probably fancy him.

Not tall enough and silly hair

[Niall_Quinn]

I think people who are surprised are a very vocal minority

People know he always sees out a contract but you just have to think if this is another groundhog season (and seen nothing so far to suggest it isn't) there will be a sizeable amount of people who will just think sod it and stop turning up.

This is more than just another groundhog season because he'll be angling to get another 3 years. And I bet he fucking gets them too.

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

This is more than just another groundhog season because he'll be angling to get another 3 years. And I bet he fucking gets them too.

Be interesting to see what he does if the atmosphere is as sour by the end of the season as it was last

At the moment the board don't seem in a hurry and neither does he, and you'd think if they literally took no mind of what the fans think that contract would have been signed a year ago.