Arsenal v Chelsea. 02/05/23. 20:00

[Marc Overmars]

Chelsea can’t score goals and lose every week.

What’s going to happen here then?

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Charity FC do it again.

[HCZ_Reborn]

Depends on what side we put out. If Arteta doubles down on this team then I have no expectation of anything more than a draw. If we change things around like we should have done weeks ago, looking at a comfortable win

[Mac76]

0-3 Auba hatter

[HCZ_Reborn]

Team id play this evening

Ramsdale, Tierney, Gabriel, Kiwior, White, Jorginho, Partey, Smith Rowe, Trossard, Nketiah, Nelson

[Mac76]

Ramsdale, Tierney, Gabriel, Holding, White, Jorginho, Partey, Trossard, Martinelli, Jesus, Nelson


I get why you'd play Nketiah on one level, but he's so shit i'd prefer Jesus still in the absence of Balogun (who btw we really should have recalled in January)

and Kiwior is a left-sided CB who was signed to alternate with Gabriel - Holding should be enough for Chelsea, but we don't want to play the untried Kiwior plus Holding

Trossard can do the Xhaka role and that allows us to play our best player, i.e. Martinelli

[Marc Overmars]

Team id play this evening

Ramsdale, Tierney, Gabriel, Kiwior, White, Jorginho, Partey, Smith Rowe, Trossard, Nketiah, Nelson

Martinelli in for ESR or Eddie, but otherwise yeah I’d go with something like that.

[HCZ_Reborn]

Ramsdale, Tierney, Gabriel, Holding, White, Jorginho, Partey, Trossard, Martinelli, Jesus, Nelson


I get why you'd play Nketiah on one level, but he's so shit i'd prefer Jesus still in the absence of Balogun (who btw we really should have recalled in January)

and Kiwior is a left-sided CB who was signed to alternate with Gabriel - Holding should be enough for Chelsea, but we don't want to play the untried Kiwior plus Holding

Trossard can do the Xhaka role and that allows us to play our best player, i.e. Martinelli


We have Newcastle on Sunday and Holding cannot, must not play that game…he will be absolutely rinsed

I don’t care that Kiwior is left footed, it’s another one of Arteta’s neuro diverse behaviours. Fine it makes sense to have a left footed back up for Gabriel but when Holding is such a complete and total detriment to how we are playing…we could change the system but I think it will affect us too much going forward….there’s no rule that says we can’t play two left footed centre halves.

Holding must never play for Arsenal again, not even in a league cup match against Our stadium will become an Aldi in five years FC.


I don’t really care if Jesus plays or not, I think a lot of them need to be punished for playing like a bunch of limp wristed pansies on Wednesday. Fulham lost to them, granted it was at home but they put up a fight (in fact they did so in both fixtures)

Should be consequences, Arteta can talk about the love he has for his players well “get a room fun boys”, now is the time to put the boot in. Not quixotic querulous team talks, not screaming like someone on day release from Broadmoor, avoiding basic eye contact etc. A calm teamtalk that tells the team that for the last however many games the overall standard has not been good enough.

[Mac76]

sure i just think Eddie is so bad although he does at least keep CBs busy and doesn't abandon his post like Jesus does, so fine

but I'll say again Holding is being scapegoated for not being Saliba and while some people think Kiwoir is some kind of magic bullet, we just don't know how good or not he is

surely the point of having both Partey and Jorg is to give extra cover to shore us up and make Holding less of an issue

that said, if we want to prepare for the Newcastle game, then even though this one is at home, I'm not sure i wouldn't prefer a back three, with both Holding and Kiwior as CBs and maybe ditch Partey on your grounds that he's been awful lately

[HCZ_Reborn]

sure i just think Eddie is so bad although he does at least keep CBs busy and doesn't abandon his post like Jesus does, so fine

but I'll say again Holding is being scapegoated for not being Saliba and while some people think Kiwoir is some kind of magic bullet, we just don't know how good or not he is

surely the point of having both Partey and Jorg is to give extra cover to shore us up and make Holding less of an issue

that said, if we want to prepare for the Newcastle game, then even though this one is at home, I'm not sure i wouldn't prefer a back three, with both Holding and Kiwior as CBs and maybe ditch Partey on your grounds that he's been awful lately

Unfortunately don’t have the luxury of benching Partey

When you have a system that means your centre backs push up high to win the ball but you have a centre back who doesn’t have the pace to do that, not only that but isn’t comfortable enough on the ball to play out of defence it’s a massive problem. On an individual basis he hasn’t made the one responsible for errors leading to goals. But his mere presence causes uncertainty because a system is based on every player adopting a certain role and it’s a role Holding simply can’t adopt.
I don’t think he’s the best centre back ever but neither is he the worst, if he was playing for any premier league mid table side like West Ham, Brentford, Brighton etc he’d be fine…he’s probably not massively worse than someone like Adam Webster or Ben Mee and actually if he was playing next to Saliba he’d be ok because Saliba can play out from the back but next to Gabriel who is also not great on the ball it creates problems.

Kiwior is an unknown quantity to me, he could be no better than Holding, he could even be worse but at the moment i think there’s a giant red flag that keeps being ignored

[Marc Overmars]

Forget Newcastle, we’re not going to win that. It’s not as cast iron as the Etihad was but it’s very difficult to see us rallying at this stage and beating a team currently as strong as them.

[HCZ_Reborn]

Forget Newcastle, we’re not going to win that. It’s not as cast iron as the Etihad was but it’s very difficult to see us rallying at this stage and beating a team currently as strong as them.

I think we are better than Newcastle and that’s borne out by our respective points totals. Our strongest team available…I think we’d beat them. At the Emirates they had to pub their way to a draw

[Marc Overmars]

Team to play Chelsea: Ramsdale; White, Kiwior, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Odegaard, Jorginho, Xhaka; Saka, Jesus, Trossard.

Subs: Turner, Tierney, Partey, Smith Rowe, Martinelli, Nketiah, Holding, Vieira, Nelson.

Saka still makes it in. :lol:

Kiwior, Jorginho and Trossard start though.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Harsh on Martinelli I feel.

[Marc Overmars]

Auba starts for Chelsea. :sick:

[Mac76]

Good to see some changes but Nelson and Tierney should be starting too and Martinelli is not the one to be dropped

[Mac76]

Auba starts for Chelsea. :sick:

The hatter's on

[HCZ_Reborn]

Good to see some changes but Nelson and Tierney should be starting too and Martinelli is not the one to be dropped

I agree but frankly astounded that Arteta has made that many changes.

[HCZ_Reborn]

Harsh on Martinelli I feel.

Yep but it’s all about the system. Won’t play Trossard on the right (although I think that would work)

[Mac76]

I agree but frankly astounded that Arteta has made that many changes.

Probably a survival instinct coming into play, I think even he realises people are starting to ask questions about his refusal to change anything

[HCZ_Reborn]

Probably a survival instinct coming into play, I think even he realises people are starting to ask questions about his refusal to change anything

Yeah…no

I think there’s a big difference between the fans asking questions and his employers asking question

The main problem with Arteta is like with Wenger is that there’s no one in a senior position to him that knows anything about football.

Wenger needed tempering by David Dein every now and again, and when he went he retreated into his worse instincus

Josh Kroenke is a happy idiot, sent out to us to keep from under his fathers feet.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Team to play Chelsea: Ramsdale; White, Kiwior, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Odegaard, Jorginho, Xhaka; Saka, Jesus, Trossard.

Subs: Turner, Tierney, Partey, Smith Rowe, Martinelli, Nketiah, Holding, Vieira, Nelson.

Saka still makes it in. :lol:: Kiwior, Jorginho and Trossard start though.
Chelsea: Kepa; Azpilicueta, Fofana, Silva, Chilwell; Kante, Fernandez, Kovacic, Madueke, Aubameyang, Sterling.
Subs: Mendy, Badiashile, Felix, Loftus-Cheek, Chalobah, Mudryk, Ziyech, Gallagher, Havert

[HCZ_Reborn]

Someone has speculated that the defensive change could be part of a system change, where we are playing three at the back with Zinchenko and Jorginho in the holding midfield role

[Mac76]

Someone has speculated that the defensive change could be part of a system change, where we are playing three at the back with Zinchenko and Jorginho in the holding midfield role

As i said a back three isn't a bad move, one game too late unfortunately, should have done it at City

[HCZ_Reborn]

As i said a back three isn't a bad move, one game too late unfortunately, should have done it at City

Unless you are playing a wing back system I’m not keen on it. I think if Ziyech or Mudryk started we would be in for a difficult evening

[Marc Overmars]

Come on you morons.

[Marc Overmars]

Good start.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Xhaka had a chance a few minutes ago.

Half a chance.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Saka header saved!

[Marc Overmars]

Chelsea look dreadful.

If this game was 6 weeks ago we’d be 3-0 up by now.

[Marc Overmars]

Odegaard!!!!

Lovely goal.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

ODEGAARD!!

[dostoy]

Why all this celebration?

There are about 80 minutes to go and they should know how poor they are at keeping a lead.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Why all this celebration?

There are about 80 minutes to go and they should know how poor they are at keeping a lead.

It's a goal.

[Marc Overmars]

Ramsdale saves from Chilwell

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Great save from Ramsdale off Chilwell!

[dostoy]

So.

They couldn't keep a 2-0 lead against Liverpool or west ham.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

So.

They couldn't keep a 2-0 lead against Liverpool or west ham.

Yeah but what's the point in celebrating anything if football if you only do it when it's a sure thing?

Weird thing to pick up on.

[dostoy]

Yeah but what's the point in celebrating anything if football if you only do it when it's a sure thing?

Weird thing to pick up on.

Celebrate at the end when you win, not when you haven't won yet.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Jesus and Fofana share a little bit of a likeness.

[Marc Overmars]

ODEGAARD!!!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Celebrate at the end when you win, not when you haven't won yet.

This is the most ridiculous take I think I've ever read. Football is about moments, enjoying those moments and you want people to just sit in silence.

Bizarre.

[Shaqiri Is Boss]

Goal. 2. Odegaard.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

ODEGAARD!


Do I have permission to celebrate?

[HCZ_Reborn]

ODEGAARD!


Do I have permission to celebrate?


Might be inadvisable unless we get a third :haha:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Revenge for the 6-0. :pray:

[HCZ_Reborn]

3-0 now you can

[Marc Overmars]

JESUS!!!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

JESUS!!!! COME ON!!!!

[Shaqiri Is Boss]

:haha:

Holy hell Chelsea are bad

[GP]

3-0 is the most dangerous lead

[Marc Overmars]

Revenge for the 6-0. :pray:

I’ve been dying for us to dish out a hammering to a rival after seeing us notoriously pumped so many times.

Tonight is the night hopefully. :pray:

[Marc Overmars]

Ramsdale trying to recreate his Southampton horror show. :rolleyes:

[dostoy]

This is the most ridiculous take I think I've ever read. Football is about moments, enjoying those moments and you want people to just sit in silence.

Bizarre.

I never said silence.

Just don't go overboard as there is so long to go and they can't seem to keep a lead.

Football is about winning matches and you only do that at the end.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Fofana's eye is not in a good way.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Auba. :haha:

[HCZ_Reborn]

So.

They couldn't keep a 2-0 lead against Liverpool or west ham.

It’s celebrating a goal not a win

As Maccy said to you, not being able to celebrate a goal means all joy is removed from football

[dostoy]

It’s celebrating a goal not a win

As Maccy said to you, not being able to celebrate a goal means all joy is removed from football

The joy is only if you win.

What happens if Chelsea score 3 or even 4?

That won't happen tonight though.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

3-0 HT.

Celebration :police: is watching.

[Marc Overmars]

HT 3-0

Chelsea are the worst team to come to the Emirates this season but we still had a job to do and I’m glad we’ve taken full advantage.

Don’t let up in the second half. Sleep-walking has cost us badly recently so just keep applying the pressure and see how many more goals we can get.

[dostoy]

3-0 HT.

Celebration :police: is watching.

Is 3-0 enough?

I think it will be as Chelsea are crap.

[dostoy]

All I mean is keep the concentration and try to score more goals, not think the game is won at 2-0 in the first quarter of the match and stop playing like Arsenal done against West Ham.

[HCZ_Reborn]

All I mean is keep the concentration and try to score more goals, not think the game is won at 2-0 in the first quarter of the match and stop playing like Arsenal done against West Ham.

What us celebrating on an old fashioned football forum has to do with the teams concentration levels im not at all sure

[dostoy]

What us celebrating on an old fashioned football forum has to do with the teams concentration levels im not at all sure

Not us celebrating.

Oh dear oh dear.

[dostoy]

I wasn't talking about the celebrating on here.

I thought that was obvious.

[dostoy]

That has made me laugh.

[dostoy]

What do you think the score will be at the end?

[21_GOONER_SALUTE]

As i said a back three isn't a bad move, one game too late unfortunately, should have done it at City

The funny thing his only win over City was when he played a back 3.

And some still think it was the players who panicked and bottled this tittle run.

[HCZ_Reborn]

I wasn't talking about the celebrating on here.

I thought that was obvious.

Only to you it seems

Plus Chelsea are averaging 0.61 goals a game since The World Cup finished, and have scored one goal in the last seven games

[Niall_Quinn]

One match post-collapse and it's a respectable performance so far. But the pressure is now off, of course. Still, I suppose they could have packed it in, but instead they look sharper than a pretty miserable bunch of chavs.

Must be fairly obvious how much more forward thinking the team is once you don't have to carry Partey. Think Trossard is a bit of a luxury, far too intricate when simplicity would be fine. The number 20 (don't know his name) is doing well, covering well, making himself available and looking up the field rather than behind him. That Kiwor bloke looks a big step up from Holding, much more commanding when the ball comes into the box.

Xhaka makes a difference.

Need to see a few more games before it's possible to tell if this is same old or genuine improvement. Mentally I mean, because obviously they are a better team now. Such a shame they choked so hard every time city were due. Should have ignored them completely rather than constantly look over their shoulders.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Auba off, Joao Felix on. :lol:

[dostoy]

Only to you it seems

Plus Chelsea are averaging 0.61 goals a game since The World Cup finished, and have scored one goal in the last seven games

No I think everybody got it, it was just you who didn't.

[HCZ_Reborn]

The funny thing his only win over City was when he played a back 3.

And some still think it was the players who panicked and bottled this tittle run.

It was both

Plus we are playing a Chelsea side bottom of the form table that has lost four out of the last six

We absolutely should have changed the system before tonight. But it’s also clear that there was mental fragility in the team

[Marc Overmars]

Cleared off the line!

So close to 4

[Niall_Quinn]

Has Azpilahacker not been booked there? That's utterly ridiculous.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Thiago Silva did well to get it off the line.

[HCZ_Reborn]

One match post-collapse and it's a respectable performance so far. But the pressure is now off, of course. Still, I suppose they could have packed it in, but instead they look sharper than a pretty miserable bunch of chavs.

Must be fairly obvious how much more forward thinking the team is once you don't have to carry Partey. Think Trossard is a bit of a luxury, far too intricate when simplicity would be fine. The number 20 (don't know his name) is doing well, covering well, making himself available and looking up the field rather than behind him. That Kiwor bloke looks a big step up from Holding, much more commanding when the ball comes into the box.

Xhaka makes a difference.

Need to see a few more games before it's possible to tell if this is same old or genuine improvement. Mentally I mean, because obviously they are a better team now. Such a shame they choked so hard every time city were due. Should have ignored them completely rather than constantly look over their shoulders.


I tend to share your view that it’s a mixture of post collapse and a shit Chelsea side but as you say every good performance has to be welcomed. Not sure I agree about Partey, he’s been a midfield engine this season despite his post internationals form looking like he’d contracted Malaria.

Jorginho? (The unknown number 20) he’s a decent technical player and was an essential cog of that euro 2020 winning wop team but old and slow.

[Marc Overmars]

Xhaka shot saved

Good move

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Xhaka shot saved.

Brilliant from Jesus.

[Marc Overmars]

Jesus skies it at the back post.

Classic.

[Marc Overmars]

We’re slaughtering them.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Saka just wide.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

It wasn't really 'just wide'. :lol:

[Marc Overmars]

Martinelli on for Trossard.

Let him have the 90 FFS.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Trossard off, Martinelli on.

[Marc Overmars]

Us dicking around at the back and Chelsea still can’t get close to scoring. :haha:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

WTF was that? :haha:

[Marc Overmars]

3-1

Pathetic, still no clean sheet

[McNamara That Ghost...]

3-1 Madueke. :doh:

[Marc Overmars]

Should be 5 or 6 nil but of course we don’t stick the knife in.

[Niall_Quinn]

Arsenal really never mastered keeping things together for 90 minutes. Just more of the same from the first half and all is well. Or else go for the wide open, cocky bullshit. It's mental. I mean literally.

[Marc Overmars]

Don’t think Saka has been particularly good again.

[Niall_Quinn]

What's the system now - random chaos?

[Marc Overmars]

Zinchenko and Saka off :faint:

Tierney and Nelson on

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Zinchenko off, Tierney on.

Saka off, Nelson on.

[Marc Overmars]

What's the system now - random chaos?

Pretty much.

Wouldn’t be shocked if they got a 2nd seeing as we’ve turned on auto pilot.

[Marc Overmars]

Odegaard shot saved

[Marc Overmars]

Gabriel off, possibly injured :rose:

Holding on

Partey on for Jorginho

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Gabriel off, Holding on.

Jorginho off, Partey on.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

3-1 FT. :bow:

We just never really hammer a team do we?

[Marc Overmars]

FT 3-1

Good win.

Shame the scoreline doesn’t reflect our dominance but oh well.

On to Newcastle for a second consecutive burial. :rose:

[HCZ_Reborn]

3-1 FT

Given how dominant we were, disappointing that we faded second half but still decent win and our fifth league win over Chelsea in six games

[Letters]

Are we allowed to celebrate yet?

[dostoy]

We can do what ever we want as it makes no difference.

How can Arsenal be so dominant in the first half and win it 3-0 only to lose the second half 1-0?

[Mac76]

Why all this celebration?

There are about 80 minutes to go and they should know how poor they are at keeping a lead.

Is it too early for me to enter this as 'Dumbest Post of the Year'?

[Mac76]

Are we allowed to celebrate yet?

:lol:

[dostoy]

Is it too early for me to enter this as 'Dumbest Post of the Year'?

Is it too early for dumbest poster of the year?

[Letters]

I forgot about the GW awards :lol:

[Mac76]

Is it too early for dumbest poster of the year?

Good point, if not you should go for that too :good:

[dostoy]

I think there are one or two on here way ahead of me.

They would rather lose 4-3 than win 1-0.

[HCZ_Reborn]

I think there are one or two on here way ahead of me.

They would rather lose 4-3 than win 1-0.

Mate you sound like you’re trolling

There’s not a single person on here (you presumably included) who does not want us to win every single game

But whether it’s GW posters or the players celebrating goals I don’t really get your problem with it

None of us were happy with the drop off last night but still we were satisfied with the three points

[dostoy]

But whether it’s GW posters or the players celebrating goals I don’t really get your problem with it



I can see that.