Arsenal v Sporting, 20:00 GMT (16/03, BT Sport 2)

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Come on Arsenal. :bow:

[Letters]

Agreed

[WMUG]

I'd just about prefer winning to losing, on balance.

[HCZ_Reborn]

I did see if I could get a ticket for this game. I was quoted £225… :haha: fuck off

[Mac76]

0-3 Edwards hatter

[WMUG]

I did see if I could get a ticket for this game. I was quoted £225… :haha: fuck off

Have you checked the Ticket Exchange?

[HCZ_Reborn]

Have you checked the Ticket Exchange?

Nah, haven’t been a member in years

[Marc Overmars]

Hopefully a straight forward game with no fuss.

Can’t be dealing with extra time and a fatigue ridden match.

[Marc Overmars]

Arsenal XI: Ramsdale, Tomiyasu, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko, Nelson, Jorginho, Xhaka, Vieira, Jesus, Martinelli.

Subs: Turner, Hillson, Tierney, White, Partey, Saka, Odegaard, Smith Rowe, Kiwior, Holding, Trossard.

Jesus starting. :bow:

[HCZ_Reborn]

Arsenal XI: Ramsdale, Tomiyasu, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko, Nelson, Jorginho, Xhaka, Vieira, Jesus, Martinelli.

Subs: Turner, Hillson, Tierney, White, Partey, Saka, Odegaard, Smith Rowe, Kiwior, Holding, Trossard.

Jesus starting. :bow:


Ha love that Ramsdale is playing

That Yank turd can’t even be relied upon for games like this

Wouldn’t have started martinelli, Gabriel or Zinchenko (but that’s mainly because he’s a useless cunt)

[Marc Overmars]

A shame Tierney has been forced towards the exit door. I would have expected him to start at least one leg of this tie.

Glad Saka is on the bench though.

[Mac76]

Both Turner and Tierney should be playing but yes glad Saka's getting a rest

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Tomiyasu off injured.

Overstretched. Really annoying and dumb way to get injured.

[Marc Overmars]

No wonder White is the preferred RB option when Tomi gets himself injured so often.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Adan saves from Jesus!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

XHAKA!!!!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Saliba off injured now.

[Marc Overmars]

Tactical injury to avoid international duty.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Great run from Jesus and save off him.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Gabriel. :bow:

Only defender bothering there.

[Mac76]

Saliba off injured now.

Am hoping this eas to an extent precautionary, we need this guy in the leagie

[HCZ_Reborn]

Am hoping this eas to an extent precautionary, we need this guy in the leagie

It’s not so much him we need, it’s the need to not play Holding

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Holding should be fine for Palace. :unsure:

Jesus off for Trossard.

Building Jesus' minutes back up. :bow:

[HCZ_Reborn]

Holding should be fine for Palace. :unsure:

Jesus off for Trossard.

Building Jesus' minutes back up. :bow:


I would not feel confident playing Holding against this Cypriot lot the Ammers are playing tonight

But yes, phasing Jesus back in gradually is sensible I agree

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Ugarte booked.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

1-1. Holy shit what a goal.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Jorginho off for Partey.

Nelson off for Saka.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Oh wow what a save from Ramsdale!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Vieira freekick, saved.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

There's a leak in the roof. :lol:

[LDG]

I have never seen a ref get in the way more than that twat

[McNamara That Ghost...]

1-1 FT.

On to ET. :popcorn:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Trossard strike, off the post!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Vieira off, Odegaard on.

[LDG]

I find Rob Holding really annoying

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Holding clears it. We could be leading.

[Letters]

I reckon we should try scoring another goal.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Save to deny Gabriel's header!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Sporting down to 10!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

On to pelanties!

[Ralpheroo72]

Any idea when Ramsdale last saved a pen?

[McNamara That Ghost...]

0-1 Sporting, smashed it in.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Odegaard makes it 1-1! :bow:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

1-2 Sporting. Another one hammered in.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Saka makes it 2-2. :bow:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

How didn't Ramsdale keep that out? 2-3.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

3-3. So cool from Trossard!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

3-4. Come on Ramsdale.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Martinelli has it saved!

[Ralpheroo72]

Thats that

[Marc Overmars]

Pathetic.

Something about our home form right now that doesn’t sit right.

Oh well. No excuses, go and win the league.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Sporting go through!

[HCZ_Reborn]

Can’t say I’m too disappointed. Just hope Saliba is fit for Sunday…and we haven’t wasted too much energy on this pointless competition

[LDG]

If we were that concerned about this game, we’re playing Saka, Odegaard, Partey from the start.

Annoying, yes, good that we have less games now, absolutely.

So long as Saliba and Tomi are not too bad. Eek one more win vs Palace before the international break and I’ll be very happy

[21_GOONER_SALUTE]

I stopped watching immediately it went to extra time, just couldn't be bothered when it was crystal clear the players and coach couldn't be either.

All that was needed to get us through this tie (undeservedly I must say), was for the coach to have made the simplest of subs once the 2nd half started; bring in Partey for Jorgingho (who struggled through out) to slow the game down and give us some control....which he eventually does once they've equalised and its to late.

I blame Arteta 100% for this and its no coincidence we've been dumped out of all the cups this season at home...he really thinks he's created some sort of fortress which only he sees.


Really poor from everyone in the squad including the head Honcho and they should be totally ashamed of themselves to do this again in front of the fans.

If we don't win the league this season, I am fully back in Arteta out camp....simple.

[HCZ_Reborn]

I stopped watching immediately it went to extra time, just couldn't be bothered when it was crystal clear the players and coach couldn't be either.

All that was needed to get us through this tie (undeservedly I must say), was for the coach to have made the simplest of subs once the 2nd half started; bring in Partey for Jorgingho (who struggled through out) to slow the game down and give us some control....which he eventually does once they've equalised and its to late.

I blame Arteta 100% for this and its no coincidence we've been dumped out of all the cups this season at home...he really thinks he's created some sort of fortress which only he sees.


Really poor from everyone in the squad including the head Honcho and they should be totally ashamed of themselves to do this again in front of the fans.

If we don't win the league this season, I am fully back in Arteta out camp....simple.


We lost to City away from home

The main failing is not rotating the squad. Too many of the squad look like they haven’t had enough game time

:haha: even I’m not going to call for Arteta to be sacked if we don’t win the league and I hate the guy

[Mac76]

not sorry to be out but what a way to do it, one or two injuries and a LOT of minutes played.

We were decent in the first half, less good after that, overall we had a few chances, their keeper made some very good saves

Patrick Vieira will be able to get Palace really up for Sunday, we'll just have to get through it somehow and then it'll only be ten more games this season

[Marc Overmars]

Don’t really buy into the nonchalance about this.

I’ll let the FA Cup slide because we could lose away at City on any given day with any team out there, but this was pretty poor all round.

Our European pedigree is embarrassing and I dread to think what shite we’ll churn out in the CL next year.

Anyway, all on the league now. Palace are dreadful at the moment but I bet the game on Sunday will be a lot closer than many think. Absolutely huge pressure now on every game. Hope they’ve got the bottle for it.

Think it’s also a fallacy to think we’ve got some kind of advantage over City now. City are strong enough to compete for everything so I don’t think they’re going to be particularly phased by the extra games they’ll be playing compared to us.

[LDG]

Don’t really buy into the nonchalance about this.

I’ll let the FA Cup slide because we could lose away at City on any given day with any team out there, but this was pretty poor all round.

Our European pedigree is embarrassing and I dread to think what shite we’ll churn out in the CL next year.

Anyway, all on the league now. Palace are dreadful at the moment but I bet the game on Sunday will be a lot closer than many think. Absolutely huge pressure now on every game. Hope they’ve got the bottle for it.

Think it’s also a fallacy to think we’ve got some kind of advantage over City now. City are strong enough to compete for everything so I don’t think they’re going to be particularly phased by the extra games they’ll be playing compared to us.

I don’t think its nonchalance. For me at least.

This for me is all about being desperate for us to bag the title. This is a very young side, with plenty still to learn. It is still very much one step at a time.

We have a chance to do something we haven’t done in a very long time, and so many fans are on a ride. We have been dragged through the shit for so long, that i would sooner us play our under 18s than have the first team get injured.

Of course we have to start learning to manage fixtures, and get savvy in Europe, but we lack squad depth, and that’s chicken and egg. We need to get CL football to justify a bigger collective of quality. Such that we don’t have to field Rob Balding, or worry that one of our top players burns out.

Europe and other cup runs can come. It’s a very obtuse position (a position mostly taken on this forum in isolation), that we are incapable and embarrassing. We have surpassed so many expectations in the league this year, so win or lose the title, we should be bottling the amazing feeling around the club which we haven’t had for so fucking long.

Palace will be a really tough game, and always was going to be. I’m far more concerned about that because the title means so much to me. I’m not nonchalant. I’m really desperate for these young lads (who clearly care massively) to get that title.

[21_GOONER_SALUTE]

We lost to City away from home

The main failing is not rotating the squad. Too many of the squad look like they haven’t had enough game time

:haha: even I’m not going to call for Arteta to be sacked if we don’t win the league and I hate the guy


Thanks for the correction.
.
Something just told me from the first leg where we were lucky to get 2-2, that we weren't going to go through on this tie as no one looked interested. Man U had the harder draw and they passed through in flying colours.

I am still so angry, I hate when we are so predictable, now the pressure to win the league will be extra ordinary....this was just to easy to forsee. I feel a bit bad for the boys, as the non chalance must have come from the top.

[HCZ_Reborn]

I was hoping we did not go through, the main disappointment for me was playing extra time and losing two defenders to injury.

We are five points clear with 11 games to play. The pressure to win the league should be extraordinary

But personally if we don’t win it, I’m not going to look back and regret that we didn’t go for the Europa league as a consolation prize

Over the two legs we had one dodgy 45 minutes and that was last nights second half, other than that we played ok.

[Marc Overmars]

I don’t think its nonchalance. For me at least.

This for me is all about being desperate for us to bag the title. This is a very young side, with plenty still to learn. It is still very much one step at a time.

We have a chance to do something we haven’t done in a very long time, and so many fans are on a ride. We have been dragged through the shit for so long, that i would sooner us play our under 18s than have the first team get injured.

Of course we have to start learning to manage fixtures, and get savvy in Europe, but we lack squad depth, and that’s chicken and egg. We need to get CL football to justify a bigger collective of quality. Such that we don’t have to field Rob Balding, or worry that one of our top players burns out.

Europe and other cup runs can come. It’s a very obtuse position (a position mostly taken on this forum in isolation), that we are incapable and embarrassing. We have surpassed so many expectations in the league this year, so win or lose the title, we should be bottling the amazing feeling around the club which we haven’t had for so fucking long.

Palace will be a really tough game, and always was going to be. I’m far more concerned about that because the title means so much to me. I’m not nonchalant. I’m really desperate for these young lads (who clearly care massively) to get that title.

I’m absolutely desperate for us to win the league too and it will probably break me if we don’t do it given the ride we’ve had this season. However this greater good and blessing in disguise mentality isn’t just exclusive to this season, I feel like it’s something that we’ve adopted a lot over the years and it’s never really paid off. Maybe I’m being harsh but I think after January our squad is actually strong enough to have gone further and stronger than we give credit for.

[HCZ_Reborn]

I’m absolutely desperate for us to win the league too and it will probably break me if we don’t do it given the ride we’ve had this season. However this greater good and blessing in disguise mentality isn’t just exclusive to this season, I feel like it’s something that we’ve adopted a lot over the years and it’s never really paid off. Maybe I’m being harsh but I think after January our squad is actually strong enough to have gone further and stronger than we give credit for.

The squad on the face of it probably is, but ultimately we also do have a lot of players who either through injury or not enough faith shown in them by Arteta haven’t had the game time to make that sustainable. In terms of squad depth you’re right I don’t think we can complain too much. Next season I’d love to see rotation happen more frequently to bring up the level of our squad and help us compete in multiple competitions.

[Mac76]

I don’t think its nonchalance. For me at least.

This for me is all about being desperate for us to bag the title. This is a very young side, with plenty still to learn. It is still very much one step at a time.

We have a chance to do something we haven’t done in a very long time, and so many fans are on a ride. We have been dragged through the shit for so long, that i would sooner us play our under 18s than have the first team get injured.

Of course we have to start learning to manage fixtures, and get savvy in Europe, but we lack squad depth, and that’s chicken and egg. We need to get CL football to justify a bigger collective of quality. Such that we don’t have to field Rob Balding, or worry that one of our top players burns out.

Europe and other cup runs can come. It’s a very obtuse position (a position mostly taken on this forum in isolation), that we are incapable and embarrassing. We have surpassed so many expectations in the league this year, so win or lose the title, we should be bottling the amazing feeling around the club which we haven’t had for so fucking long.

Palace will be a really tough game, and always was going to be. I’m far more concerned about that because the title means so much to me. I’m not nonchalant. I’m really desperate for these young lads (who clearly care massively) to get that title.

Yeah, this is it, we aren't top of the league after a few years of progression, regular top four places and squad-building - it's a smash-and-grab effort so if we can just focus on it then all the better.

People have to be sensible, we had to rotate and IMO didn't do it enough in this competition

[Letters]

We are so bloody awful in Europe. As MO says, if we can't beat this lot then what are CL teams going to do with us.
As good a finish as their equaliser was, you shouldn't be getting chipped from that distance.
It's just annoying because it's a side we should be beating over 2 legs. Absolutely have to win on Sunday to get going again.

[Mac76]

This was a funny game to be at - I went along not being that bothered by the outcome but just hoping for a good match - while the quality was variable, it was certainly one that held the attention and we played well at times.

but it proved they should get rid of extra time as while it produced a few chances, it's just too much to expect of teams

given we had used two subs on injured players in the first half, Arteta could make fewer changes than he'd perhaps have liked - I think we'd have seen ESR and maybe Tierney for example

by the time it got to pels i was hoping we wouldn't quite do it and while it's hard on the player concerned, at least Martinelli was on target and tbh he seemed to take it in his stride

I certainly don't think this game tells us anything about how we will do in Europe next year, when we will surely have a stronger squad

[HCZ_Reborn]

This was a funny game to be at - I went along not being that bothered by the outcome but just hoping for a good match - while the quality was variable, it was certainly one that held the attention and we played well at times.

but it proved they should get rid of extra time as while it produced a few chances, it's just too much to expect of teams

given we had used two subs on injured players in the first half, Arteta could make fewer changes than he'd perhaps have liked - I think we'd have seen ESR and maybe Tierney for example

by the time it got to pels i was hoping we wouldn't quite do it and while it's hard on the player concerned, at least Martinelli was on target and tbh he seemed to take it in his stride

I certainly don't think this game tells us anything about how we will do in Europe next year, when we will surely have a stronger squad

This

I think we lost our heads a bit in the second half of the second leg, whether Ramsdale should have come off his line or not that’s an audacious effort to chip someone from there and sometimes you have to take your hat off….anazing goal from Pedro Gonçalves.
But equally we were foiled by some amazing saves from Adan, and even with Martinelli as you say it wasn’t the best penalty in the world but neither was it a dreadful one.

When you put out a mixed team you’ll get a mixed performance…but I don’t look at those two legs and think we were terrible at all. It was actually quite an entertaining tie. It is regrettable that we had to play an extra half hour and it’s possible UEFA May scrap that in time and go directly to penalties if two teams can’t be separated after two 90 minute ties.

Next season is the season where we will need to learn to make the best use of an entire squad and perform in multiple competitions. And yes I’m hopeful that the squad will be a stronger one.

[Letters]

Ransdale really is bloody awful at penalties. Should definitely have saved 1, maybe 2

[HCZ_Reborn]

Ransdale really is bloody awful at penalties. Should definitely have saved 1, maybe 2

Maybe but he kept us in the tie when Edwards was put through on goal. In my view the burden is always on the goalscorer not the goalkeeper. Sometimes you can guess the right way but the power and speed of the shot means you can’t keep it out.

[Letters]

Maybe but he kept us in the tie when Edwards was put through on goal. In my view the burden is always on the goalscorer not the goalkeeper. Sometimes you can guess the right way but the power and speed of the shot means you can’t keep it out.

Overall I'm a fan of Ramsdale, but he guessed the right way a couple of times last night and really should have saved at least one of them.

[Marc Overmars]

Always feel like our keepers never save penalties. Can’t recall too many down the years.

Almunia in the NLD many moons ago was memorable and I remember Cech saving one off Deeney in the season he said we lacked cojones which was funny karma. Can’t remember if Leno ever saved one.

Jens had a couple of memorable saves though, always felt confident with him as mad as he was.

But yeah the pressure is on the taker anyway. All a keeper can do is guess and hope for the best.

[Letters]

Seaman vs Sampdoria :bow:

EDIT:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gj9-_xUfEo

[WMUG]

Always feel like our keepers never save penalties. Can’t recall too many down the years.

Almunia in the NLD many moons ago was memorable and I remember Cech saving one off Deeney in the season he said we lacked cojones which was funny karma. Can’t remember if Leno ever saved one.

Jens had a couple of memorable saves though, always felt confident with him as mad as he was.

But yeah the pressure is on the taker anyway. All a keeper can do is guess and hope for the best.

Almunia was great at pens tbf, about the only thing he was decent at.

Cech was notoriously shit, that one against Watford was the only one he saved.

Leno saved one in that Boxing Day game against Chelsea.

Chesney was alright as far as I remember.

[Mac76]

Cech was notoriously shit, that one against Watford was the only one he saved.



but given the context it made up for the others :)

[21_GOONER_SALUTE]

Always feel like our keepers never save penalties. Can’t recall too many down the years.

Almunia in the NLD many moons ago was memorable and I remember Cech saving one off Deeney in the season he said we lacked cojones which was funny karma. Can’t remember if Leno ever saved one.

Jens had a couple of memorable saves though, always felt confident with him as mad as he was.

But yeah the pressure is on the taker anyway. All a keeper can do is guess and hope for the best.

Seems you've forgotten we had Fabianski and Martinez on our books... Fabianski got us to an FA cup final through his heroics in a shootout while Martinez got us beating Bayern (preseason cup) and Liverpool in a league cuo match...I mean the thing I've noticed is our keepers who are good at penalties always end up being 2nd or 3rd choice for some reason, in fact I wouldn't have been surprised if the American guy had come in and saved the day on Thursday...thats just some funny Arsenal curse.

[Mac76]

Seems you've forgotten we had Fabianski and Martinez on our books... Fabianski got us to an FA cup final through his heroics in a shootout while Martinez got us beating Bayern (preseason cup) and Liverpool in a league cuo match...I mean the thing I've noticed is our keepers who are good at penalties always end up being 2nd or 3rd choice for some reason, in fact I wouldn't have been surprised if the American guy had come in and saved the day on Thursday...thats just some funny Arsenal curse.

it was silly to play Ram on Thurs, Arteta's too unforgiving, Turner (aka 'the American guy' :) ) is not that bad but needs match time

[HCZ_Reborn]

it was silly to play Ram on Thurs, Arteta's too unforgiving, Turner (aka 'the American guy' :) ) is not that bad but needs match time

He’s shit. Utterly shit…no positional sense, not a good shot stopper