Manchester City V Arsenal. 18 December KO 1600

[fakeyank]

3-0 loss.

IF we manage to win this one after the Everton setback, I just may sit up and take note that this team has the mentality to challenge for the title.

Who am I kidding though? Did you see our manager? :lol:


:getcoat:

:ilt:

[Marc Overmars]

City are really poor at the moment, 4 wins in 14 or something like that and shipping goals left, right and centre. They'll probably enjoy playing us though because we both have similar styles, but we really need to go there full of confidence and exploit them. Wenget will probably set up conservatively, so lets hope we can replicate that 0-2 win from the season before last.

This is the chance to prove the doubters wrong and regain some credentials, so go and do it

[Goonermerree]

City haven't won at home since September. They could win, we might win or we might draw. That's my prediction.

[GP]

0-3

[Kano]

Misery everywhere leading up to the kick-off but fuck it, let's go up there and kick those cunts right in their cunts.

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

Misery everywhere leading up to the kick-off but fuck it, let's go up there and kick those cunts right in their cunts.

In some ways what happened yesterday makes Sunday more liberating, if we'd won at Everton yesterday than the expectation and tension about a result on sunday would be at all time high. Now perhaps that expectations are that we have already fluffed one test and we are bound to fluff another means that the attitude will be more one of "fuck it whatever happens, happens".

Or perhaps that's me?

[Niall_Quinn]

Monsieur LeQuack won't saunter into this without preparation. He usually does at least a bit of prep when we are up against our main rivals. Of course it depends what that preparation is. He could seriously fuck with the team, maybe bring Bif back or do one of those crazy things that only makes sense to him because he's so much more advanced than everyone else, in his own mind at least. IF we turn up in some fit shape to face them, and not handicapped from the outset, then we can give them a game. I'm going 1-2 us.

[Master Splinter]

Games against modern Citeh are at the very least always fun to watch.

If the ref decides to not give them 8 offside goals and not deny us 4 pelanties, we should win 7-3.

[Letters]

It's two teams who score a lot and can't defend so it should be interesting!

[GP]

I'd like to see Perez get a start in this, in place of Theo.

[Globalgunner]

I'd like to see Perez get a start in this, in place of Theo.

More likely the loco one will put Ramsey in there,

[selassie]

Surprisingly I'm fairly confident about this game. I think we'll draw but wouldn't be surprised if we grab all three points.

We can't afford to lose, anything else is a bonus IMO.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Theo has to play, he regularly scores against Citeh.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Gundogan is out for the season. :rose:

[AFC Leveller]

City, just like Everton, haven't been winning lately and many teams have exposed them defensively so you'd hope vinegar has done his homework. If we start off like we did at OT and stand back then City will destroy us because they have too many good players. If we start off confidently and play at a bight tempo then i think we can get a draw at least.

Head says 2-1 heart says 1-3.

[Goonermerree]

What is this 'bright tempo' you speak of? My lingering memories of the Everton game are of us just walking the ball around their box with the odd sideways, backwards passing. Meanwhile, the Everton defence was licking it's lips!
Probably because they were tired.

Wenger said they were fresher than us. :doh:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Man City: Bravo; Zabaleta, Otamendi, Kolarov, Clichy; Fernando; Sane, Toure, Silva, Sterling; De Bruyne.
Subs: Caballero, Sagna, Stones, Nolito, Jesus Navas, Iheanacho, Garcia.

Arsenal: Cech, Bellerin, Gabriel, Koscielny, Monreal, Coquelin, Xhaka, Walcott, Ozil, Iwobi, Alexis.
Subs: Ospina, Gibbs, Holding, Elneny, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Lucas, Giroud.

[Niall_Quinn]

Arsenal: Cech, Bellerin, Gabriel, Koscielny, Monreal, Coquelin, Xhaka, Walcott, Ozil, Iwobi, Alexis.
Subs: Ospina, Gibbs, Holding, Elneny, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Lucas, Giroud.

About the best he could do, so no complaints on the team selection for a change.

[Globalgunner]

Ok. Lets have at these parvenues.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

We've earned the dramatic Sky soundtrack for this.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Arsenal the only team to lose this season. :bow:

[Niall_Quinn]

All I want for Christmas... is a decent performance from the team today.

Too much?

[Globalgunner]

All I want for Christmas... is a decent performance from the team today.

Too much?

Father Xmas says youve been naughty all year....So No

[Niall_Quinn]

Pep imagines Arsene has a plan for the game.

Bless. He's still getting used to this league.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Spuds: Lloris, Walker, Dier, Vertonghen, Rose, Wanyama, Winks, Dembele, Eriksen, Dele, Kane.

Burnley: Clarets XI: Heaton, Lowton, Keane, Mee, Ward, Boyd, Hendrick, Marney, Arfield, Barnes, Gray.

[Power n Glory]

We beat City during the pre season and managed to dominate the midfield. But that happened once Xhaka came off for Elneny. With Iwobi playing wide, I'm guessing we'll try to dominate possession again. Might have been better to try to play on the counter instead.

[Master Splinter]

Spuds: Lloris, Walker, Dier, Vertonghen, Rose, Wanyama, Winks, Dembele, Eriksen, Dele, Kane.

Burnley: Clarets XI: Heaton, Lowton, Keane, Mee, Ward, Boyd, Hendrick, Marney, Arfield, Barnes, Gray.

NO POSTING ABOUT OTHER GAMES IN HERE. :police:

[Master Splinter]

We beat City during the pre season and managed to dominate the midfield. But that happened once Xhaka came off for Elneny. With Iwobi playing wide, I'm guessing we'll try to dominate possession again. Might have been better to try to play on the counter instead.

We're unbeaten in the last six against them tbf. Plus a couple of pre-season wins as well. Iwobi being there allows us some control and technical solidity in the final third and maybe allows both Alexis and Theo a bit more freedom than the erratic Oxlade does.

[Marc Overmars]

Come on you Gunners!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Gundogan shirts? Wow.

[Marc Overmars]

Gundogan shirts :haha:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

NO POSTING ABOUT OTHER GAMES IN HERE. :police:

:lol:

Whoops.

[Power n Glory]

We're unbeaten in the last six against them tbf. Plus a couple of pre-season wins as well. Iwobi being there allows us some control and technical solidity in the final third and maybe allows both Alexis and Theo a bit more freedom than the erratic Oxlade does.

Yes, Iwobi wide indicates we're going to try to play through the middle. We'll see how it plays out. Really not sure about Xhaka and Coquelin controlling the middle even with Iwobi wide. But we have Ox as an option from the bench at least in case.

[GP]

Nice to City to play the Giroud song for us.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Alexis calls for the press, nobody bothers.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Theo on De Bruyne. :lol:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

THEO!!!! COME ON!!!!

[Marc Overmars]

THEO!!!!

[AFC Leveller]

Yessss

[GP]

GET IN!

[Power n Glory]

Theo!

[Niall_Quinn]

GET IN!!!!!!!!

Walnut

But it's all about Alexis.

[Master Splinter]

THEOOO!!!!!

[Marc Overmars]

City's defence is ripe for the taking

[GP]

Fraudiola :lol:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Sterling with some great defending!

[Marc Overmars]

Damn that was close

[Niall_Quinn]

We were so lucky it was that shitty 55mill fraud on the end of that.

[AFC Leveller]

We are being cut apart every time city attack

[Niall_Quinn]

Looking very open at the back so far.

[Marc Overmars]

Alexis barking out orders to press

[Marc Overmars]

City are still very good up top, we can't take chances at the back

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Yaya heads wide but offside anyway.

[Power n Glory]

GET IN!!!!!!!!

Walnut

But it's all about Alexis.

You would say that! Give credit where it's due.

[Niall_Quinn]

Surprising reffing. Thought that would be an auto-yellow. Have the gypos forgotten to pay Atkinson?

[Niall_Quinn]

You would say that! Give credit where it's due.

I did.

[Power n Glory]

I did.

To Alexis. It's a great pass but also a good run and finish.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Great tackle from Bellerin on Yaya.

[Power n Glory]

Mac did point out Theo's record against City and suggested he should be dropped. Well spotted, Mac.

[Power n Glory]

Looking dangerous on the counter.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Does that count as a shot on target from Iwobi?

[McNamara That Ghost...]

De Bruyne. :haha:

[Niall_Quinn]

LOL - I just saw something funny.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Monreal. :doh:

[Marc Overmars]

Not exactly solid at the back so far.

[Niall_Quinn]

Coquelin needs to urgently stop losing the ball 100% of the time.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Hoofball specialists for us today.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Fucks sake Gabriel.

Thankfully Cech saw it.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Theo went for the glory shot.

[Niall_Quinn]

What a waste by Walnut.

[Marc Overmars]

Release it quicker Alexis

[Marc Overmars]

Good chance for Theo

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Theo header, way wide in the end, good leap though.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Lauren's OG. :bow:

[Niall_Quinn]

Looked a good chance there to at least get it on target.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

David Silva booked, the little scrote.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Body over the ball Bellerin!

[Marc Overmars]

2nd goal is there for us.

[Maestro]

who's the ref today

[Niall_Quinn]

Poor effort by Bellerin. But Theo should have been a lot more direct and decisive beforehand. We're starting to waste the chances again.

[Niall_Quinn]

who's the ref today

Atkinson. So far so good.

[Marc Overmars]

Alexis limping

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Iwobi puts it in but offside had been given earlier.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Yaya header, straight at Cech.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

0-1 HT.

[Marc Overmars]

Couple of tricky moments at the back but we've handled them well on the whole.

Just need to keep our shape and be little bit efficient up front and we'll win this.

[Niall_Quinn]

HT 0-1

Conservative performance but justified today. Almost good on the break, just the final ball as usual. Alexis has a few minutes to run that knock off. Can't afford to lose him.

[Niall_Quinn]

The terrible atmosphere at the emptiad has made the game a bit low key.

[Marc Overmars]

Really bad miss from Sterling. Got away with that one.

[Globalgunner]

Really bad miss from Sterling. Got away with that one.

Nothing Sterling does will ever surprise me. 3rd rate talent.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Zabaleta off, Sagan on.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

1-1 Sane, dear me.

[Marc Overmars]

1-1 FFS

That was poor

[McNamara That Ghost...]

He was offside I think.

[GP]

Offside. C'mon...

[Munchies]

and there it is

draw = a loss

[Globalgunner]

OFFSIDE! but it stands. 1-1

[AFC Leveller]

We have been open all game, that was coming.

[Marc Overmars]

Marginal but he looked just offside. FFS

[Niall_Quinn]

Mile offside. A lino fucking up at the emptiad again. What a shocker.

[crashley]

Did they just show a replay with the linesman holding his flag up???

[Power n Glory]

Xhaka is garbage. What was he doing for that goal?

[Marc Overmars]

Back to the drawing board

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Yaya booked. Run at him!

[Power n Glory]

Linesman should have called offside as well. Garbage. Back to square one.

[Niall_Quinn]

Woke the Romanies up in the crowd and Neville is delighted. Seems he's sticking to the pretence that was onside.

Of course absolutely shit defending.

[Master Splinter]

Bullshit non-pelanties, bullshit non-corners, bullshit offside goals at Citeh.

Same old Arsenal.

[crashley]

I could have sworn I saw the linesman flag in a replay but it was ignored by the ref!

[gunnerrrrr]

Woke the Romanies up in the crowd and Neville is delighted. Seems he's sticking to the pretence that was onside.

Of course absolutely shit defending.

These players r a bunch of pussies.....I would love to be more elequant than that but it's the most apt phrase.

Offside or not we have switched off since our goal and coasted...I don't understand why we so rarely see games out with 100% focus and intensity.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Bellerin's shooting isn't getting any better.

[Niall_Quinn]

Of course our second goal was correctly called offside. These things even themselves up.

[Niall_Quinn]

Are we really about to bring on Bif? Can only be because Alexis can't carry on. This is where our season ends if that's the case.

[Marc Overmars]

Get rid of it Coq you fool

[Marc Overmars]

Wake up FFS

[AFC Leveller]

Can't get out of our own half

[Niall_Quinn]

Are we just going to let them have the ball for the next 45? What is this shit?

[Penguin]

These players r a bunch of pussies.....I would love to be more elequant than that but it's the most apt phrase.

Offside or not we have switched off since our goal and coasted...I don't understand why we so rarely see games out with 100% focus and intensity.

Simple run in a straight line and he's through on goal. :doh:

Our defenders are blind to those runs. That's the same way Cavani got through on goal against us half a dozen times in those two PSG games - did we learn nothing from that?

[fakeyank]

There will only be one winner in this match and that's not us. We haven't done anything remotely dangerous in their half other than our goal.

Same shit different season.

Sent from my SM-G928T using Tapatalk

[Niall_Quinn]

What exactly has Wenger said at half time? Sleep? Take the day off?

[Power n Glory]

Xhaka and Iwobi are a shambles on that left side. No intensity.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Cech denies Sane.

Not good stuff at all this half.

[Marc Overmars]

Absolutely shit start to this half. We need to sort it out quickly.

[Niall_Quinn]

Tckle straight through the back by Fernando in that build up. Play on.

[Power n Glory]

No idea what Ozil is doing. Needs to step his game up.

[Niall_Quinn]

Clouseau is behind this. He must have told them to brick up the goal and try to hold out.

[Globalgunner]

We cant hold possession for even 2 passes. Once under pressure we just go to pieces, passing goes to shit

[Marc Overmars]

This is Old Trafford all over again now.

[gunnerrrrr]

Wtf is Coqulain doing? He seems to now get far too involved in the attack and fucks it's up 100% of the timr

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Weak from David Silva.

[Niall_Quinn]

No idea what Ozil is doing. Needs to step his game up.

He's doing more than our idiot manager. He's trying to direct the game out there, he can what's wrong. But not the idiot manager of course.

[A Gunner]

Ox on
Iwobi off

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Iwobi hauled off, Ox on.

[Niall_Quinn]

Wtf is Coqulain doing? He seems to now get far too involved in the attack and fucks it's up 100% of the timr

He's been appalling all match.

[Marc Overmars]

Not great from Iwobi today.

[Niall_Quinn]

Iwobi hauled off, Ox on.

Pointless unless he's changing the system. In fact possibly worse because Ox will lose the ball more.

[selassie]

This team is so weak physically.

[Power n Glory]

He's doing more than our idiot manager. He's trying to direct the game out there, he can what's wrong. But not the idiot manager of course.

The usual line from you. He's gone missing. Has to drop back and steady the ship. Has to a lot better when he eventually touches the ball.

[Niall_Quinn]

The back 4 are defending thin air while the gypos cruise into all the paces. The midfield two are just being bypassed with simple passes. This is dire.

[Munchies]

There will only be one winner in this match and that's not us. We haven't done anything remotely dangerous in their half other than our goal.

Same shit different season.

Sent from my SM-G928T using Tapatalk

same old Wenker

[Penguin]

Wtf is Coqulain doing? He seems to now get far too involved in the attack and fucks it's up 100% of the timr

He needs to keep it simple. He's trying to be too clever and losing the ball. Just play it fast and simple FFS

This midfield's not working. Xhaka's chasing shadows, he's not mobile enough and we're leaving too much open space in the middle.

[Power n Glory]

Ox is can at least help us counter attack. We won't win the possession fight unless someone in central midfield steps up. Coquelin, Xhaka and Ozil have to do it.

[Niall_Quinn]

Coquelin making the break into the box. DOH!!!!

What sort of ridiculous system is this?

[McNamara That Ghost...]

De Bruyne deflected shot, Cech saves.

[Marc Overmars]

Cech with the most passes for us today :doh:

[crashley]

This is sapping the last drops of optimism for a good season.

[Niall_Quinn]

That being said - the gypos are only level through yet another crappy piece of officiating.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

2-1 Sterling. Shite.

[Marc Overmars]

2-1

Pathetic

[Munchies]

AND THERE IT IS

[AFC Leveller]

Shit

Fuck

Here we go again

[Niall_Quinn]

Just fuck off.

[selassie]

No more than they deserved, we have been all over the place 2nd half. Weak, slow, second to every ball.

[gunnerrrrr]

Hoesntyl the football we play is so fucking outdated

[Power n Glory]

Game over. Xhaka puts the ball out of play. Monreal and Kos having poor games as well. Cech beaten on near post. Shambles.

[Marc Overmars]

Our responses to setbacks :haha:

[Niall_Quinn]

Wenger, for whatever strange reason, looks surprised.

Why you moron?

What the fuck did you do at HT you fucking idiot?

[Globalgunner]

Wenger thought a draw would be a good result. That shite Sterling scores.
The main defect with this team is lack of character. Always has been since 2006.

[crashley]

Absolute fucking dogshit

[Ernesto]

Ozil is a prick. Offered nothing, the piece of shit

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Coquelin off, here comes Bif.

[AFC Leveller]

Wasn't Silvia interfering with play there?

[Marc Overmars]

Giroud on to Dids them again?

[gunnerrrrr]

Coquelin off, here comes Bif.

Utterly predictable zzzzz

[Munchies]

Ozil is a prick. Offered nothing, the piece of shit

he can fuck right off

[Niall_Quinn]

Hadn't noticed it was another offside goal.

That twat Nevile says no. Despite the fact the player is right in front of the keeper and going for the ball.

Real score, 0-1

Fantasy score 2-1

[crashley]

Flicked a boot at it, put off Cech, so yes, but wouldn't be ruled out here


Wasn't Silvia interfering with play there?

[Niall_Quinn]

Wasn't Silvia interfering with play there?

Of course he was. It's a joke. They specifically changed the rules to deal with just that sort of circumstance.

[Penguin]

Wasn't Silvia interfering with play there?

One of thsoe 50-50 ones. Maybe Cech would have been quicker to get down if Silva wasn't hovering around sticking a leg out.

[Power n Glory]

he can fuck right off

He's been a passenger and has put no effort into defending.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Ox off injured, Elneny on.

Neville you dick.

[Marc Overmars]

Oxlade hauled off

[Power n Glory]

Ox off injured. Did he stretch?

[Niall_Quinn]

And there goes Ox. This is shaping up to be another farce.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

De Bruyne booked.

[Power n Glory]

Ox off injured, Elneny on.

Neville you dick.

It was unlike Ox to be taking it easy. He was wrong about Ox.

[AFC Leveller]

We haven't been able to handle their pressing

[Niall_Quinn]

Is the Wengersaur in any way capable of changing this and getting us back in this game? Does he still have an ounce of management ability remaining?

Btw, if it's good enough for Xhaka the a red was definitely in order from De Brown there. But different rules apply.

[Marc Overmars]

Dogshit from Theo

[Power n Glory]

That was Woeful Theo.

[Globalgunner]

Walnutt living up to his brain deficient rep again.

[Niall_Quinn]

We need a better player than Walnut, and we've needed that player for a while now.

[Ernesto]

Can we blame Wenger for this? I know we blame him for the situation, too, but if these c*nts were to perform under a different manager (a la the disgraceful Chelsea lot) isn't that worse?

[Penguin]

That was a chance.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

De Bruyne off, Iheanacho on.

[Niall_Quinn]

We're going to do it again aren't we? Give a nice boost to a team on the ropes.

[Niall_Quinn]

Can we blame Wenger for this? I know we blame him for the situation, too, but if these c*nts were to perform under a different manager (a la the disgraceful Chelsea lot) isn't that worse?

Yes. 100% Wenger's fault. The buck stops with him for a non-performance like this. This is his team, these are the players he's trained and picked, they go onto the pitch with his attitude and hi philosophy.

Which is precisely why we see this every season. Regardless of who is in the team.

[Power n Glory]

We need a better player than Walnut, and we've needed that player for a while now.

Behave. You guys crack me up. The only player to score. Hasn't slacked off with defending yet you bitch. Nothing said about Ozil's no show and effort. Classic.

[AFC Leveller]

Why have we decided to play now that there are 5,mins left? Just like on Tuesday

[Niall_Quinn]

I still reckon Bif will pinch a goal though. He looks keen.

[Globalgunner]

Behave. You guys crack me up. The only player to score. Hasn't slacked off with defending yet you bitch. Nothing said about Ozil's no show and effort. Classic.

So because he scored he can be crap all the rest of the game. WE are losing FFS

[Marc Overmars]

Xhaka was 35m right?

[Power n Glory]

£35m for Xhaka.

[Ernesto]

I'm with PnG on Walcott. He's done his job. He scored in 5 minutes. It's exactly what Costa would do for the c*nts. He'd get plaudits for it, yet Walcott is being castigated. It was up to the rest of the team to hold on to the lead, just as the c*nts from SW1 do.

[gunnerrrrr]

I will keep saying it....we play outdated football with a massively outdated manager

[Power n Glory]

So because he scored he can be crap all the rest of the game. WE are losing FFS

He's been far from crap all game. We've hardly had the ball and he's at least making an effort to defend.

[selassie]

Xhaka was 35m right?

Yep and he doesn't even improve our midfield.

[Niall_Quinn]

This is embarrassing now. We've forgotten how to play football. Talk about losing your head.

[Marc Overmars]

Joke of a performance this 2nd half.

Completely underlined why we won't be anywhere near the title

[Power n Glory]

I'm with PnG on Walcott. He's done his job. He scored in 5 minutes. It's exactly what Costa would do for the c*nts. He'd get plaudits for it, yet Walcott is being castigated. It was up to the rest of the team to hold on to the lead, just as the c*nts from SW1 do.

Exactly. We haven't been in control of this game. It's been poor on defence and poor distribution. He's scored and he's not left Bellerin isolated when defending. Can't fault the effort and that's what's mostly disappointing about this game. The effort is just not there from some players.

[Globalgunner]

Joke of a performance this 2nd half.

Completely underlined why we won't be anywhere near the title

This year and every year the old man is still in charge

[Ernesto]

This is embarrassing now. We've forgotten how to play football. Talk about losing your head.

Exactly. They don't have any fight.

[Power n Glory]

Joke of a performance this 2nd half.

Completely underlined why we won't be anywhere near the title

City have been crap as well. Came out with the wrong tactics and the execution was poor regardless of what we were trying to do.

[Power n Glory]

Title race done.

[Niall_Quinn]

GET OUT WENGER YOU USELESS FUCKING DINOSAUR!

What the fuck did you do at half time?

[crashley]

sickening, lost for words

[Niall_Quinn]

City have been crap as well. Came out with the wrong tactics and the execution was poor regardless of what we were trying to do.

That's very true. Gypos were crap and of course won it with 2 offside goals. But they have a manager who, despite being new to the league, quickly figured out Wenger's plodding tactics. And they have a bunch of mercenaries who are somehow more committed to the cause than our lot.

Wenger is a shocking, shocking non-manager. Every season his teams fold like this. You could bet the house on it and it's only ridiculous and blind optimism that has prevented every Arsenal fan becoming a millionaire down at the bookies.

[Penguin]

GET OUT WENGER YOU USELESS FUCKING DINOSAUR!

What the fuck did you do at half time?

Forget half time, what did he do between the shower of shit at Everton and today's kick off?

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

That's very true. Gypos were crap and of course won it with 2 offside goals. But they have a manager who, despite being new to the league, quickly figured out Wenger's plodding tactics. And they have a bunch of mercenaries who are somehow more committed to the cause than our lot.

Wenger is a shocking, shocking non-manager. Every season his teams fold like this. You could bet the house on it and it's only ridiculous and blind optimism that has prevented every Arsenal fan becoming a millionaire down at the bookies.

Didn't expect you of all people to be kind to Wenger.