Arsenal v Chelsea, 14:00 GMT (29/12, SS Main Event)

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Second half of the season, can we make it to the magic six games won figure?

Probably not.

[Marc Overmars]

Chelsea and United at home, perfect chance for Arteta to announce himself as the real deal.

[Mac76]

With Chelsea misfiring a bit (although most notably at home rather than away), we ought to win this if we play more directly as in the first half at Bournemouth, but as always the defemce is the big worry

[I am invisible]

What have we got left to choose from at the back? 2 available CBs and 1 available fullback (and that’s if you class AMN as a fullback)? Guess the defence pretty much picks itself.

Really hope the week Arteta has had to work with these guys has been enough to at least drill some positional discipline into them, because we know they’re not the best defenders, and some of them have got to be getting tired now.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Sky's programme starts in a couple of minutes.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Arsenal: Leno, Maitland-Niles, Chambers, David Luiz, Saka, Torreira, Guendouzi, Nelson, Ozil, Aubameyang, Lacazette.
Subs: Martinez, Mustafi, Mavropanos, Willock, Smith Rowe, Pepe, John-Jules.

Chelsea: Kepa, Rudiger, Zouma, Tomori, Azpilicueta, Kovacic, Kante, Emerson, Mount, Willian, Abraham.
Subs: Caballero, Christensen, Lamptey, Jorginho, Barkley, Hudson-Odoi, Batshuayi.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Carragher, Murray and Souness in the studio.

Neville pitchside at the Emirates for now.

[Thierrymon]

We have a lot of injuries. That bench is pretty bad.

[Mac76]

John-Jules to come on and steal the show - place youe bets now ;)

[I am invisible]

We have a lot of injuries. That bench is pretty bad.
Maybe 2 out of that starting XI are nailed on starters, and a couple more might have a 50/50 shot of starting with everyone fit. At least half of that team are backups and squad players though - this is gonna be tough.

[Marc Overmars]

How the hell is Nelson getting games ahead of Pepe?

[Mac76]

How the hell is Nelson getting games ahead of Pepe?

I can only think he's still suffering from that kicking from Cresswell, i can't believe it isn't that he's not bothering in training surely...?

[Master Splinter]

Even though Nelsojn's end product is non-existant at the moment, his overall game is much better than Pepe's. You can't ask for change at the club and then be upset when a struggling, flaky liability is left on the bench. Until he's fully settled, he's best as an impact sub.

We've got a lot of injuries at the moment, especially at the back, so it's extra harsh for Arteta playing so many tough games in a hectic period.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

I don't agree that Pepe is a liability, not when you consider he's the reason we have won the two games in 20 or whatever it is.

Also, I haven't seen enough from Nelson to suggest he isn't a liability.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Come on Arsenal. :bow:

Cameraman is drunk. :rose:

[Thierrymon]

Did I just see a first person view of a camerman having a heart attack?

[McNamara That Ghost...]

'Lamptey' on the bench.

You're fooling nobody, Frank.

[Globalgunner]

No Xhaka anywhere. Hopefully on the Eurostar to Berlin. No Xhaka, no problem

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Decent run from Nelson.

[Thierrymon]

Actually got that nervous feeling today. Need a win.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Crap free kick from Mesut.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

David Luiz. :lol:

Would've been Goal of the Decade.

[Master Splinter]

I don't agree that Pepe is a liability, not when you consider he's the reason we have won the two games in 20 or whatever it is.

Also, I haven't seen enough from Nelson to suggest he isn't a liability.

A defensive liability. He offers nothing and gives it away so cheaply.

[Marc Overmars]

Encouraging start.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

David Luiz free kick, easy for Kepa.

Why do we still indulge him on those?

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Ridiculous challenge from Guendouzi. Booked.

[Thierrymon]

Guendouzi :doh:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Leno saves, ish from Mount.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

AUBAMEYANG!!!!!

COME ON!!!!

[Thierrymon]

Auba!!!!!!!!!!!!

[GP]

GET THE FUCK IN!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

No yellow for that?

[Master Splinter]

Is that Auba's first headed goal for us?

[Thierrymon]

Guendouzi running around like he is going to get himself sent off. Needs to calm down a little.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

No pel?

Come on VAR. :bow:

[Gooner23]

Even Mesut looks up for it!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

FFS Laca.

Great cross from Nelson.

And the ball before that from AMN.

[Thierrymon]

That would have been an unreal goal. Laca :doh: awful touch

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Tammy denied, cleanly. :unsure:

[Globalgunner]

Guendouzi running around like he is going to get himself sent off. Needs to calm down a little.

The little twerp is on a yellow too

[Thierrymon]

Best I have seen us play in ages.

[Thierrymon]

Chambers dead. Looks serious, this could be bad.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Chambers is dead. FFS.

[Master Splinter]

Now we're playing decent football again, half our team is decimated.

Old Arsenal really are back.

[Thierrymon]

Mustafi coming on.

Hope this break hasnt killed the momentum we had.

[Globalgunner]

Mustafi coming on.

Hope this break hasnt killed the momentum we had.

Grab your prayer beads Arsenal fans. You're gonna need it.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Chambers off, Mustafi on.

RIP the win. :rose:

[Niall_Quinn]

We're cursed. Every time we get something going. Just pray that Mustafi, for once, can be sensible.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Lacazette with the flick so he can argue back with Arteta in the next training session. :ninja:

[Globalgunner]

At least for once our dudes actually look up for a fight

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Leno whacks it out of play and I'm fine with that.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Mount booked. :faint:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Sexy from Ozil.

Kante booked. :popcorn:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Yellow for Rudiger now. :lol:

Thugs.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Emerson hauled off, Jorginho on.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Ozil. :haha:

Stunning free kick.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Why does Guendouzi step back turning towards goal when defending the ball?

Daft.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Nelson. :lol:

[Thierrymon]

Guendouzi got a bit lucky there. Nice counter from us. Nelson just cant beat Kante.

[Globalgunner]

Arteta needs to give Guendouzi the hook at HT. Kid is a liability

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Auba goes for goal, angle too narrow.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

David Luiz. :lol:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Five added minutes.

Awful from Tomori.

[Thierrymon]

Willian is a good player. Always looks dangerous. Definitely the player we need to watch out for.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

That Gooner. :haha:

What a twat.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

1-0 HT.

Well done.

[Marc Overmars]

Was that really the same group of players we’ve been watching for a year? :blink:

[GP]

Best we've played for yonks

[hobson's choice]

Wow we looked like a real team out there

[AFC Leveller]

Best game we have played in ages. Solid, committed, disciplined, just a joy really.

The fact that Lumpard made a change at 29 minutes says it all.

Auba coming back to defend has been a big help as well.

[AFC Leveller]

Don’t think Chelsea have more than shot on goal??

[Master Splinter]

Auba defending like Mane.

Ozil playing well two games in a row.

Torreira excellent again.

Luiz actually defending.

AMN and Mustafi not having brainfarts.

WTF is going on?

[Mac76]

Really good so far, shame about Chambers, especially as it means playing mustafi, but we just look so much better overall

HT whistle came at the right time though, chelski were starting to look dangerous

Chelski have been so cynical and should have anpther yellow or two, really annoying to see them break up some really good moves

Would like us to be 2 up but let's hope Arteta can get them going again for the second half

And i love the way we're cheering every hoofed clearance :lol:

[Thierrymon]

Enjoyed that half. Another goal would be useful to get early as I could see us getting nervy towards the end of the game.

[Niall_Quinn]

That's the first disciplined half of football I've seen from this team in... years?

Nothing spectacular. Got the passing going. Kept the shape. Players were moving to give the guy on the ball an option. Kept it simple. Booted it out of defence when required (mostly). Put as much into the defensive side of the game as the attacking.

Ozil superb. He really is a cut above everyone else on that pitch.

So glad the manager stuck with Nelson. The kid had a stinker last time out, but he was trying. So the manager says, give it another go, and now we have a proper option on the right that's giving the chavs a ton of problems.

Arteta doing exactly what is required. Getting the basics right. One game after another, a little improvement each time. That's how we'll do it.

Actually impressed by an Arsenal performance. And at Christmas time when we're usually getting our arses handed to use.

Can we keep it up in the second half?

[Thierrymon]

Glen Hoddle and Michael Owen in the studio :ilt:

[Niall_Quinn]

Also, a long, long time since the opponents have had to kick us off the pitch to stay in the game. Really the chavs should have about 119 yellows by now.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Come on Arsenal. :bow:

See this out. :pray:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

David Luiz booked.

Daft.

Auba was already bringing Willian down. :lol:

[Thierrymon]

Silly foul from Luiz.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Kante shot, deflects behind.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Our new wing back Auba sorting our shit out.

[Niall_Quinn]

Disgraceful reffing.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Willian. :lol:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Fight fight fight!

[Niall_Quinn]

Quite amazing this transformation. Every player hustling for the team.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

"Same old Chelsea, always cheating"

Our fans. :bow:

Jorginho booked. Presumably Lacazette was too, if no, good work from him.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Well done Leno.

Clash of heads with Mustafi and someone else.

Tomori hauled off, Lamptey on.

Frank couldn't resist bringing himself on.

[AFC Leveller]

Chelsea are a dirty bunch of cunts.

[Marc Overmars]

Lamptey. :lol:

That’s not a real name.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Graham and McLintock there together. :bow:

[AFC Leveller]

Mustafi dead.

[Thierrymon]

Mustafi dead now.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Mustafi finally gets his head seeing to. :ninja:

[Niall_Quinn]

If Auba is on his way out, it certainly hasn't affected his commitment today. So good to see. Earning his wages.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Mustafi's head is working! :bow:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Guendouzi and composure really need to meet some time.

[Thierrymon]

Havent really been able to do much so far this half. Chelsea had most of the possession but havent really put us in too much danger.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Ozil skilfully dodges a yellow.

[Globalgunner]

Nelson doesn't know wtf he's doing

[Thierrymon]

Need some fresh legs up front. No outlet for our attack.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

David Luiz able to get back and deny Tammy.

Great cross from Willian but headed over.

Think we need a change.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Kovacic off, Hudson-Odoi on.

[AFC Leveller]

We need a second goal. Players looking tired.

Any defensive lapse and they are back in.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

AMN has been unbelievably good today.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Yellow for Torreira.

[Thierrymon]

So impressed by Maitland Niles today.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Well done David Luiz.

Went through us though.

[Bumble]

Not a high quality game but we are ahead and thats all that matters.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Abraham heads it straight at Leno.

Lucky.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Ozil off, Willock on.

Mesut. :bow:

[Bumble]

Abraham heads it straight at Leno.

Lucky.

Difference between a top striker and abraham. Auba more difficult header goes in

[Thierrymon]

How has Jorginho not been sent off there.

[Niall_Quinn]

So important the fans weren't the usual wankers with that Ozil sub.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Why isn't Jorginho off?

And was Torreira given a second yellow?

[AFC Leveller]

The ref is corrupt. Should have been a second yellow there for Jorginho.

[Niall_Quinn]

Has the ref booked OUR player? WTF?

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Willock belts it wide.

[AFC Leveller]

Wilock gros inches wide

[Niall_Quinn]

That's amazing. And it can change results. 23 players in this match.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

How was that a foul? :lol:

[Niall_Quinn]

The ref's going to determine this result, isn't he?

[Xhaka Can’t]

The ref's going to determine this result, isn't he?

They’re the stars of the show.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Thought Lacazette was going to be sent off there.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Disaster from Leno, 1-1 Jorginho.

[Thierrymon]

FUcks sake 1-1

[Bumble]

Unbelievable probably our best player this season

[Niall_Quinn]

Okay, okay, it's a fuck up. We expected that long before this performance.

The fuck ups aren't going to vanish overnight.

But this ref is a bastard. He's kept the chavs in this match.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Nelson off, Pepe on.

:sarcy:

[Xhaka Can’t]

Terrible error by one of our better players this season.

[Niall_Quinn]

Pepe on. Nelson off. Nelson was great.

Pepe will get the winner.

[Master Splinter]

We have the same amount of yellow cards as Chelsea.

:haha:

This is beyond cheating.

It's about the ref making sure he makes a name for himself as a z-list celebrity.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

1-2 Tammy.

:rose:

[Bumble]

The ref's going to determine this result, isn't he?

I dont have a problem with ref trying to keep 11 v 11 unless it was a nasty foul.

Oh ffs

[Niall_Quinn]

We have the same amount of yellow cards as Chelsea.

:haha:

This is beyond cheating.

It's about the ref making sure he makes a name for himself as a z-list celebrity.

It's a disgrace. But an expected disgrace.

[Marc Overmars]

Doesn’t really get more sickening than that, does it?

This team is hopeless.

[Xhaka Can’t]

I can’t think of a time I’ve wanted to vomit so much.

[Maestro]

that's just sapped all my energy, after all the good work earlier in the game

[Bumble]

Seen us concede that sort of goal so many times.

[Thierrymon]

Game determined by the ref. Fucking pissed off.

[Letters]

I can’t think of a time I’ve wanted to vomit so much.

GW Mods Christmas party?

[Niall_Quinn]

Well at least we can say we were robbed.

And we were.

The ref's willingness to go along with the chav's tactics, which was to kick us off the pitch, has made the difference.

even so. I'm happy with the performance today. You're never going to get a fair match in this league. We've known that since Fergie time. But today we played like a proper team. So that's where we start and we go on from there. This season was a write off anyway.

[Bumble]

I can’t think of a time I’ve wanted to vomit so much.
Drogba v senderos

[Globalgunner]

We never learn. When we get In the opposition box we play hot potatoes with the ball. When other team get into ours its Bang....they score

[Maestro]

Doesn’t really get more sickening than that, does it?

This team is hopeless.

MO that's real kick in the teeth, gutted

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Seven added minutes.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

AMN booked for pulling back. :lol:

[Thierrymon]

Edu looking like he is about to assassinate someone. Ref hopefully.

[Marc Overmars]

We’ve been better in these 2 games under Arteta but it’s looking like only a point on the board.

I don’t believe for one second this team is good enough to not be sucked into a relegation battle.

[Niall_Quinn]

The cunt who should have been sent off scored? Doesn't that tell the whole story?

And now I think we've just moved ahead of the chavs in bookings. Absurd. Incredible. Normal.

[Xhaka Can’t]

Robbed.

Fucking robbed by a cunt of a referee

[Niall_Quinn]

Their gay player who is actually named Mount is having a fit. I'd say fuck him, but he'd probably like it.

[Niall_Quinn]

Robbed.

Fucking robbed by a cunt of a referee

And by typical, stupid mistakes. But we've seen something different today. There's hope.

[Globalgunner]

Only dummies try to defend a 1 goal lead for 80.mins. The whole team looked out of gas at 65 mins

[McNamara That Ghost...]

1-2 FT.

Fuck off.

[Marc Overmars]

1 win in 15 games. :haha:

[Bumble]

We tried to be compact and organised. We sat back to protect 1-0 which is quite brave for us. Chelsea were there for the taking. For 60 mins we looked comfortable but for a keeping mistake we would have won.

[Niall_Quinn]

Only dummies try to defend a 1 goal lead for 80.mins. The whole team looked out of gas at 65 mins

We can't slate the team for not being able to maintain normal football for 90 minutes. We haven't played normal football in a decade. This is all new to us. Eventually, after hundreds or thousands of hours on the training pitch, we'll be back to normal. Let's not slaughter them 2 games into it.

Many positives in this match. Sure, we lost. But we actually had a shape. For me, that's massively important.

And the ref was the ultimate cunt. Booked our player when he should have been sending their goalscorer off. What can you do about that? No VAR there, I notice. It'll all be disaster in the media, but don't believe it. We beat that chav bunch of fouling cunts and we beat them well, at football at least. We lost at the other stuff, but then again, we aren't chavs.

[Marc Overmars]

I don’t think we did enough in trying for a second goal. Goals turn games - as today showed after the Leno howler. You can’t just bank on seeing things out with so long to go. A commendable effort from us but the bottom line is that it’s getting pretty desperate now. 1 win in 15. 4 home defeats on the bounce and 6 points above the drop zone.

[Niall_Quinn]

I don’t think we did enough in trying for a second goal. Goals turn games - as today showed after the Leno howler. You can’t just bank on seeing things out with so long to go. A commendable an effort from us but the bottom line is that it’s getting pretty desperate now. 1 win in 15. 4 home defeats on the bounce and 6 points above the drop zone.

He's had 2 games dude. And both have shown improvement. What are you expecting? This is going to be a long, long process. The damage Wenger did is total. It killed every aspect of the club. It can't be fixed in the short term.

[Gooner23]

Feel sick to the stomach with the result, but there are definitely signs Arteta can turn this around.

I'm more angry with Raul and co not being more decisive on Emery when it was clear he was done.

[Marc Overmars]

He's had 2 games dude. And both have shown improvement. What are you expecting? This is going to be a long, long process. The damage Wenger did is total. It killed every aspect of the club. It can't be fixed in the short term.

Oh I’m not knocking Arteta. The 2 games have had some encouraging signs but we need results. Now.

[dostoy]

The damage Wenger did is total. It killed every aspect of the club. It can't be fixed in the short term.

You're not going to be on Letters Christmas card list saying things like that.

Sometimes I think Letters IS Wenger.

[I am invisible]

He's had 2 games dude. And both have shown improvement. What are you expecting? This is going to be a long, long process. The damage Wenger did is total. It killed every aspect of the club. It can't be fixed in the short term.
I think he officially started working with the players last Sunday, so that’s 7 days. Of those 7 days, 2 were match days and one was Christmas Day, so it’s not a great deal of time to affect change - not with a squad (and club) with as many fundamental problems as we have, and with as many injuries as we have in one area. Happy with the signs I’ve seen so far...

[Niall_Quinn]

Oh I’m not knocking Arteta. The 2 games have had some encouraging signs but we need results. Now.

We had a shape to our play. Can you even imagine it in your wildest dreams? I'm settling for that. If I see the same again next week them I'll be excited. I'm right back on the training ground, with the basics. Undoing everything that has gone on with this club for what seems like an eternity. I just want to see us being able to play as well as Wolves or Sheffield. The very basics. I've seen that and I'm happy. Next week we work on stupid fucking mistakes and concentration for 90 minutes. And, some time in 2022, we'll have it perfected. I'm under absolutely no illusions here.

[Niall_Quinn]

Feel sick to the stomach with the result, but there are definitely signs Arteta can turn this around.

I'm more angry with Raul and co not being more decisive on Emery when it was clear he was done.

They fucked up hiring Emery in the first place. So, so wrong for us. A continuation of Wenger. The most Wenger like appointment they could have ever made. Cowardice. Complacency. The status quo. These guys have already proven they don't have what it takes. And they'll have to go too, before Arteta can have a genuine chance.

Much rests on the Kroekne mob getting involved with this club. Stan never will. Josh might. If he does, and he might, then maybe we have a chance. Even if not, if you look at Leicester, there are other ways to do this.

So far, I'm super impressed with Arteta. I watched Nelson and Auba and Ozil and wondered - why are they playing so well now, all of a sudden. It's not because of Raul or Kroenke, is it?

[Letters]

You're not going to be on Letters Christmas card list saying things like that.

Sometimes I think Letters IS Wenger.

The season after Wenger left we were a couple of points off 4th and got to the Europa League final.
That’s what the squad Wenger left us with was able the achieve.
That’s not my opinion, it’s what happened.
Since then we’ve had a transfer window to improve the squad.
So spare me the bollox about what a mess he left us in.
It’s honestly quite pathetic how people who spent years saying that Wenger was so incompetent that anyone would come in and immediately improve things are now, when that has been shown conclusively to be bollox, desperately trying to change the narrative to how of course we can’t improve because of the mess Wenger left us in
:blah: