Stoke vs Arsenal 13th May 2017 17:30 KO

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

https://s11.postimg.org/umkhgvqk3/Boothen_Main_-_mordor.jpg

Back to Mordor then

[Niall_Quinn]

"Look to my coming, in the first half, in the fifteenth minute." - Alexis Sanchez

[Marc Overmars]

0-1.

[Niall_Quinn]

1-4

[GP]

0-3

[Niall_Quinn]

0-3

Clean sheet against the orcs? They'll at least lob it into the net once when 7 of our players are receiving medical attention.

[Niall_Quinn]

The bet365 Stadium.

That sums it all up! Rancid game, this is.

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

We have not beaten a Mark Hughes side away from home in the league since January 2007

Since then

1-1 away to Blackburn
3-0 away to City
4-2 away to City
2-2 away to Fulham
2-1 away to QPR
1-0 away to Stoke
3-2 away to Stoke
0-0 away to Stoke

We have not won at the Britannia stadium since February 2010

Could it be a day to end these wretched runs. Wenger got one over Mourinho in the league finally and we won at St Mary's (although we'd also done that quite handsomely in January)

[Letters]

Top 4 trophy has never been on the line before though :cool:

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

So Ramsey has two good games for us and he gets benched?

Starting Giroud clearly not working, so guess who is starting

More Wenger madness

[Cripps]

Got a feeling we'll win today :unsure:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Arsenal: Cech, Mustafi, Koscielny, Holding, Bellerin, Xhaka, Coquelin, Monreal, Ozil, Alexis, Giroud.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

For some reason, West Indies v Pakistan is still on SS1. :unsure:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Finally they've stopped showing the cricket.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Stoke: Butland, Johnson, Shawcross, Martins Indi, Pieters, Whelan, Cameron, Allen, Arnautovic, Diouf, Shaqiri.

[Power n Glory]

Not a good line up. Hope we lose.

[Niall_Quinn]

Arsenal: Cech, Mustafi, Koscielny, Holding, Bellerin, Xhaka, Coquelin, Monreal, Ozil, Alexis, Giroud.

You just have to throw your hands up at the antics of this cunt manager.

[Niall_Quinn]

Negative, cowardly, terrified, average, grey, bland cunt.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

I'm sure it will be fine, what could possibly go wrong?

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Sky seem to think we're interested in the egg chasing, oh right, Stoke...

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Alan Parry is commentating so any line-up would've been irrelevant.

[Niall_Quinn]

Why the hell would we try to match these orcs physically? I wonder who will win that battle?

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Come on Arsenal. :bow:

[Niall_Quinn]

Terrifyingly pointless football. Tip, tap, tip, tap.

[Power n Glory]

Mr heavy touch and always offside Giroud.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

What a ball from Mustafi but Alexis offside.

[Power n Glory]

Mustafi is great at those.

[Niall_Quinn]

Good run by Alexis, but just offside. I wonder what Alexis would be like in the striker's role?

[Niall_Quinn]

Corner. Now let's see if Bif is worth the effort.

[Niall_Quinn]

We went short :haha:

[Power n Glory]

Terrifyingly pointless football. Tip, tap, tip, tap.

Today's homework is to pay attention how many first touch passes Ozil knocks backwards and sideways and whether or not he decides to try and take on his man.

[Niall_Quinn]

OMG, it's Mike Dean! I thought he'd been killed?

[Niall_Quinn]

Today's homework is to pay attention how many first touch passes Ozil knocks backwards and sideways and whether or not he decides to try and take on his man.

Just Ozil, yes? Ignore the other 9?

[Niall_Quinn]

Good effort Mustafi. Butland having the best game of his career (TM)

[Globalgunner]

Giroud well into his wandering shepherd routine.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Ozil with a great backwards pass to Monreal through on goal.

[Niall_Quinn]

That's really poor by Xhaka.

[Niall_Quinn]

Oh hit it first time FFS! Take a risk. :doh:

[Power n Glory]

Just Ozil, yes? Ignore the other 9?

Yes, because he's the only one you have a blindspot for when it comes to the tip tap.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Monreal hits the post!

[GP]

So close!

[Niall_Quinn]

Post :doh:

[Power n Glory]

Good touch and turn from Coquelin in that sequence. Monreal should have scored. He's making good runs.

[Niall_Quinn]

Yes, because he's the only one you have a blindspot for when it comes to the tip tap.

Yeah, because I always say tippy tappy bullshit, except Ozil. I'm not the one with the blindspot.

[Niall_Quinn]

Here's why we'd be fucked without Ozil (or an equivalent)

http://www.squawka.com/comparison-matrix#premier_league/2016/2017/mesut_özil/641/641/123/0/p|premier_league/2016/2017/aaron_ramsey/641/641/377/0/p|premier_league/2016/2017/francis_coquelin/641/641/380/0/p|premier_league/2016/2017/granit_xhaka/641/641/2103/0/p#key_passes/chances_created#90

[Power n Glory]

Yeah, because I always say tippy tappy bullshit, except Ozil. I'm not the one with the blindspot.

I've always made the argument that he needs to do more when we're playing the boring tip tap stuff but you often debate me on that point.

[Power n Glory]

Here's why we'd be fucked without Ozil (or an equivalent)

http://www.squawka.com/comparison-matrix#premier_league/2016/2017/mesut_özil/641/641/123/0/p|premier_league/2016/2017/aaron_ramsey/641/641/377/0/p|premier_league/2016/2017/francis_coquelin/641/641/380/0/p|premier_league/2016/2017/granit_xhaka/641/641/2103/0/p#key_passes/chances_created#90

Just watch the game. So far he's played a couple of good passes to Monreal and we need more of that an extra.

[Niall_Quinn]

I've always made the argument that he needs to do more when we're playing the boring tip tap stuff but you often debate me on that point.

Because he generally has fuck all to hit. Himself and Alexis spend half the match trading it with each other on the left and looking up in vain to see if anyone is within walking distance of the box. And he doesn't tend to beat his man down the line, he beats him centrally with a turn into space. Your main bitch about him seems to be he can't singlehandedly rescue this broken team. I agree, he can't. So who can?

[Niall_Quinn]

Just watch the game. So far he's played a couple of good passes to Monreal and we need more of that an extra.

And those stats match what you have been seeing in this game.

[Niall_Quinn]

Seriously ref! FFS!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Mustafi booked. :haha:

[Niall_Quinn]

Lovely cross by Alexis but Giroud can't be arsed.

[Niall_Quinn]

Bit of a silly challenge by Mustafi really.

[Power n Glory]

Because he generally has fuck all to hit. Himself and Alexis spend half the match trading it with each other on the left and looking up in vain to see if anyone is within walking distance of the box. And he doesn't tend to beat his man down the line, he beats him centrally with a turn into space. Your main bitch about him seems to be he can't singlehandedly rescue this broken team. I agree, he can't. So who can?

Alexis often does. The goal he scored last week was an example because under tight conditions and marked he could have easily tried to play a one touch pass back to Ozil but instead took a risk.

Ozil is more than capable of pulling that off. Capable of more than just passing. Just needs to be brave.

[Niall_Quinn]

Stoke announce their arrival in the game. Welcome.

Off target though.

[Niall_Quinn]

Alexis often does. The goal he scored last week was an example because under tight conditions and marked he could have easily tried to play a one touch pass back to Ozil but instead took a risk.

Ozil is more than capable of pulling that off. Capable of more than just passing. Just needs to be brave.

Alexis is leaving. So we're already 60-70 mill down trying to find replacements. If Ozil goes too we're basically fucked. Would cement our second tier status.

[Niall_Quinn]

Grim negativity from Xhaka. Why not just get it back into the box?

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Alexis goes for the early shot but wide it goes.

[AFC Leveller]

Ozil providing some sick balls today. Alexis looks really up for it.

Ooh that was close by Alexis.

[Power n Glory]

Giroud is not a starter. Has hardly touched the ball and we're not really crossing the ball either.

[AFC Leveller]

Mike Dean, what an incompetent cheat.

[Power n Glory]

Can't understand why Xhaka doesn't drop deep and play the ball out instead of the defenders doing it. Plenty of space there.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

GIROUD!!!!!!

[AFC Leveller]

1-0 yesss

[GP]

GIROUDDDDDDDDD!!!!!!

WHAT A man!!

[Niall_Quinn]

GET IN!!!!!!!!!!

Now get Flamini on FFS!

[Niall_Quinn]

That stoke defender :haha: He got burned by a jogging Bif. Still, at least he made his way into the box.

[Power n Glory]

He's playing! :lol: Need to cross more. Good play by Coquelin and Bellerin.

Still hope we lose.

[Niall_Quinn]

Come on Dean! That's a blatant and deliberate foul. Ideal candidate for a yellow.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

0-1 HT. :popcorn:

[Power n Glory]

Coquelin is showing some tekkers today. Trying to be more ambitious with his attacking play.

[GP]

Still hope we lose.

Why?

edit: don't bother, no answer would make sense.

[Niall_Quinn]

HT 0-1

Like a training game.

I think the orcs have had their balls cut off. That's how they are playing. If it continues for the next 45 then this is an easy 3 points.

[selassie]

I really like how we are playing today. Totally dominant performance, especially in Midfield, Xhaka & Coq are running the show.

[selassie]

Coquelin is showing some tekkers today. Trying to be more ambitious with his attacking play.

He's been very good so far.

[Niall_Quinn]

I really like how we are playing today. Totally dominant performance, especially in Midfield, Xhaka & Coq are running the show.

They haven't been challenged tbf. Very strange showing from Stoke. Zero broken bones, no knife wounds, they aren't even wearing knuckledusters.

[Globalgunner]

Why?

edit: don't bother, no answer would make sense.

Maybe he wants to avoid another 2 seasons that look exactly like this one and the 10 that have gone before it.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

How has this season been like the last 10, at least in the league? :lol:

It's still going to take some major work from Satan to get us fourth. The position we haven't finished in for a little while.

[Niall_Quinn]

I think, for all the bluster, I may have been Wengerised. I'd settle for a repeat of that last 45 minutes of pure shite and the 3 points.

So we're still in the hunt for the top 4 trophy.

:(

[McNamara That Ghost...]

I'd love to see some Oatcakes soaked in tears.

[Niall_Quinn]

I'd love to see some Oatcakes soaked in tears.

And there's that.

There's something about the orc fans that isn't lovable. Can't quite put my fist on it.

[Globalgunner]

How has this season been like the last 10, at least in the league? :lol:

It's still going to take some major work from Satan to get us fourth. The position we haven't finished in for a little while.

If you're not First then what is the point. After that it's only about money. Only accountants care about 4th place

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Holding. :bow:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

If you're not First then what is the point. After that it's only about money. Only accountants care about 4th place

There's a lot of pointless clubs season in, season out.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

And there's that.

There's something about the orc fans that isn't lovable. Can't quite put my fist on it.

You should.

[Niall_Quinn]

If you're not First then what is the point. After that it's only about money. Only accountants care about 4th place

Wenger is staying, no matter what happens. Bank on that.

Title is gone, we are further behind than ever. All that's left is the damnable 4th place trophy and the Hull and Wigan Cup. For better or worse we might as well grab at least that much. Won't make a blind bit of difference to Wenger staying or going. All that's on offer now is a few crumbs of comfort for the fans. Fuck the manager. Fuck the board. Let's beat these orcs as a matter of principle.

[GP]

Maybe he wants to avoid another 2 seasons that look exactly like this one and the 10 that have gone before it.

Okay, losing this one won't change that.

[Niall_Quinn]

Uruk Hai has taken out Coquelin.

[Niall_Quinn]

Hmmmm. Are these the early signs of a Dean intervention?

[Niall_Quinn]

Bif is such a waste of space. He's on to add the physical element, but he's ducked out of every challenge so far.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

OZIL!!!! WHAT A GOAL!!!

[AFC Leveller]

Hmmmm. Are these the early signs of a Dean intervention?
Wow what a second goal by ozil

[McNamara That Ghost...]

What a pass from Alexis.

[AFC Leveller]

This pass and move thing really works.

[Niall_Quinn]

I missed the fucking goal :doh:

Was it any good?

[Globalgunner]

Our 2 best players showing what less we would be without them. Lovely.
Orcs shedding Alkaline tears in the stands

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Shawcross should be off but it was an elbow in the face, they don't get clamped down on for some reason.

[AFC Leveller]

Shawcross with the attempted murder, no yellow.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

I missed the fucking goal :doh:

Was it any good?

You'd hate it.

[Niall_Quinn]

This newfangled modern stuff :bow:

Replays :bow:

OZIL!!!!!!

What a goal.

Lovey pass by Alexis btw.

[Niall_Quinn]

What's the score, Sauron, Sauron?

What's the score?

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Great clearance from Diouf!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Allen hauled off, Crouch on.

Diouf off, Berahino on.

[Niall_Quinn]

Luckily Diouf is not a professional footballer.

[Power n Glory]

Maybe he wants to avoid another 2 seasons that look exactly like this one and the 10 that have gone before it.

Exactly.

[Niall_Quinn]

Allen off. Alien on.

Diouf with his best contribution so far. "I'm worth it", Berahino on. How do you like Stoke bigshot?

[Niall_Quinn]

IS THAT SERIOUSLY NOT A FOUL ON CECH?????

WTF?

We're about to be Deaned.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Cech saves.

[Niall_Quinn]

Coquelin's actually playing very well.

[Niall_Quinn]

Good save Cech.

[AFC Leveller]

Stoke fans booing arsenal fans for being fouled.

[Niall_Quinn]

Freak heads it wide.

[Niall_Quinn]

Are people watching Bif and his (so-called) performance?

Is Alexis really injured? Hope not or we're fucked.

[Power n Glory]

Great finish from Ozil. Twitter has a purpose. Missed the goal.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

1-2 Crouch.

[Niall_Quinn]

Strange corner by Ozil.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

It's a handball! FFS.

[Niall_Quinn]

Dean is a cheat.

But we knew that.

[Power n Glory]

Are people watching Bif and his (so-called) performance?

Is Alexis really injured? Hope not or we're fucked.

Our passing game has been flowing today but Bif is the wrong man to play.

[GP]

Dean gonna Dean

[AFC Leveller]

Crouch scores with his hand, Bellerin fouled in the build up.


Dean is a cheat.

[Niall_Quinn]

Absolute scandal.

Foul on Bellerin. Obvious.

Handball by freak. Obvious.

Told you Dean was tooling up.

[Power n Glory]

Crouch is a cheating cunt of a player. Always has been.

[Ernesto]

GHEL, ain't gonna be honest when he knows he's handball education it into the net. Lanky streak of piss

[Niall_Quinn]

Hey Dean. Why not pick up the ball and throw it in our net? Then you'll be the hero again.

[Niall_Quinn]

Refs make the difference. In almost every match.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Elbows galore. Twats.

[Niall_Quinn]

Orcish blood chants ringing around the bet365 fortress.

[AFC Leveller]

Second blatant elbow in the face, this time on mustafi. Dean has no shame

[Niall_Quinn]

Lino I assume is blind. Deliberate elbow. Very easy to spot.

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

Now we will see what character if any this team have

[Niall_Quinn]

Oh when the orcs, go marching in...

[Niall_Quinn]

Hey Dean. There must be some reason you can dig up to send Xhaka off! Get on with it man!

[AFC Leveller]

Alexis wants to come off. Orcs have done him proper.

[Niall_Quinn]

Fucking hell. If Alexis wants to come off that means he's suffering onset of rigor mortis.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

ALEXIS!!! FUCK YOU YOU ORCS!!!!!

[AFC Leveller]

Yesss 3-1

[AFC Leveller]

Alexis is injured but he still scores.

[Niall_Quinn]

We've still got too much for them. They'll need Dean again to get back in this.

[GP]

GET THE FUCK IN!

Fuck off you dirty orc cunts!

Fuck off Mike Dean.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Alexis off, Ramsey on.

[Niall_Quinn]

ALEXIS!!!!!!!!!!

Poetic fucking justice.

FUCK YOU DEAN!

[GP]

Erm, you're being a bit of an orc there...

Got any matches?

[Niall_Quinn]

Alexis :bow:

In some ways we'd be better off if we paid him to stay.

[Ernesto]

Stoke fans booing ramsey. Idiots

[A Gunner]

Gosh, I can't freaking stand David Pleat...

[Globalgunner]

Ramsey showing his lack of true quality again

[Niall_Quinn]

Ramsey :bow:

Except, score next time.

Holding :bow:

And OF COURSE Dean gets his card out :haha:

[AFC Leveller]

Ramsay should have made it 4.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

GIROUD!!!! :haha:

[Niall_Quinn]

Gosh, I can't freaking stand David Pleat...

You mean you wouldn't say yes if he drove up to you on the kerb?

[A Gunner]

1 - 4 Giroud!!!

[AFC Leveller]

4-1 Giroud lol

[Niall_Quinn]

GIROUD!!!!!!!!!

LOOOOOOOOLLLLL

Dean :haha:

[Globalgunner]

Gosh, I can't freaking stand David Pleat...

same. a droning drooling idiot who will never take an opportunity to keep quiet. He thinks he is being paid per word.

[A Gunner]

You mean you wouldn't say yes if he drove up to you on the kerb?

:censored:

[Power n Glory]

I fucking hate this team. What utter cunts.

[GP]

Brilliant!

Imagine wanting your own team to lose to this sub-human filth.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Please give them an absolute hiding. :pray:

[Niall_Quinn]

Ramsey's done great there tbf.

[Power n Glory]

How have they found this sort of form so late on in the season and when fighting for 4th? Great game but fucking hell.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Ozil off, Welbeck on.

Giroud off, Theo on!! :o

[Niall_Quinn]

How have they found this sort of form so late on in the season and when fighting for 4th? Great game but fucking hell.

4th place trophy dude. We are the champions!

[Globalgunner]

Orc tears i am sure are made of toilet water

[GP]

Theo's alive?????!

[AFC Leveller]

If Alexis is injured for the final then we might as well not turn up.

[GP]

If Alexis is injured for the final then we might as well not turn up.

An amputation wouldn't stop him playing.

[Niall_Quinn]

Wenger subs the hattrick man again :haha:

Ultimate WUM

[McNamara That Ghost...]

How have they found this sort of form so late on in the season and when fighting for 4th? Great game but fucking hell.

Three at the back. :bow:

However it took 8 games to go for Wenger to make a change...Conte, seven games in.

[AFC Leveller]

Sanchez has 15 away league goals, one away from the record of (16) by Kevin Phillips

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Wilshere has lost his chant. :lol:

Holding. :bow:

[Globalgunner]

At least mark Hughes can come out with his usual mantra of how "we matched them". Bullshit spreader!

[GP]

Rob Holding has been a phenomenal signing.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Crouch booked.

[Niall_Quinn]

Alexis MOTM

Quite right too

[Niall_Quinn]

Crouch booked.

The old 90th minute booking.

[Niall_Quinn]

Sanchez has 15 away league goals, one away from the record of (16) by Kevin Phillips

Sell him!

[Globalgunner]

Crouch booked.

He`s not that type of player

[Niall_Quinn]

Hold on Smudger. Stoke were shit in the first half, but they were proper Stoke in the second. So don't play the "poor Stoke" card. Matey.

[Niall_Quinn]

He`s not that type of player

He's not any type of player tbf

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Bif is just 2 away from 100 for us now.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Stoke 1-4 Arsenal, FT!

:haha:

[AFC Leveller]

Full time.

Dean will be disappointed.

[Niall_Quinn]

1-4

:bow:

[Niall_Quinn]

Dean :haha:

Hughes' invincibility :haha:

Fallen elves :haha:

[Power n Glory]

Three at the back. :bow:

However it took 8 games to go for Wenger to make a change...Conte, seven games in.

It's nuts. But I also wonder what's been said for this game. The effort was different to what I remember of the Spurs game. Even Coquelin looked have a bit more to his game today.

[GP]

Bif is just 2 away from 100 for us now.

Love him :bow:

[Niall_Quinn]

It's nuts. But I also wonder what's been said for this game. The effort was different to what I remember of the Spurs game. Even Coquelin looked have a bit more to his game today.

Hughes reckons he can turn Stoke into a football team. That gave us the edge. Stoke were pussies for the first 45 and it gave us the confidence to get our passing game going.

BUT, when Dean stepped it up, we answered. And it's rare to find something encouraging like that in our performances.

[Letters]

Top 4 trophy has never been on the line before though :cool:

:gp: