Partizan Belgrade 1 – 3 Arsenal (Report + Highlights + Some News)

This is a good win, and the team is showing the ability to bounce back from a bad defeat against WBA and be ready to face the oil-funded, cunts infested team next Sunday.  We started them match pretty well, with Arshavin looking to be on fire.  The first goal came when Wilshere and Arshavin decided that it was time to take the Belgrade defense on their own.  A lovely Wilshere back heel setup AA to shoot with aplomb into the net, past the keeper.  Just for the records, that’s the second goal Wilshere setups this season with a back heel.

Then Arsenal had many occasions to score, but a combination of good goalkeeping from the Belgrade keeper and poor finishing meant the score stayed as it is until Denilson’s mind went numb when he allowed the ball to hit his hand inside the box.  Evidently that was a penalty, which was dispatched by Cleo, while sending Fabianski the wrong way.  Some fans started to call Fabianski names for not saving that penalty.  That should tell you a lot about them and how they feel about the club and its players.

Next, AA was again at it with a delightful through ball to Chamakh.  The latter was brought down by a Belgrade defender and obviously, since being the last man, he got red carded.  AA stepped up since our captain of the day (TR7) doesn’t know how to score from the spot.  However, it turns out that even AA can miss a penalty.  So again here, we could see the lack of killer instinct from Arsenal.

The extra man on the field for Arsenal though would make the difference,  Chamakh scored a header after missing the first headed attempt.  Then Squillaci thumped another header to make it 3.  First goal for Squillaci for the club, so congratulations to him.

In the closing stages of the match, Partizan were again awarded a penalty, when Gibbs brought down one of their players.  Cleo again stepped up to take the penalty, however, this time Fabianski stood big and saved it wonderfully.  He also made another astounding save in the match, by pushing the ball around the post from a Partizan shot.  on another day, that would have gone in, but the confidence exuding from him was there to see for us all.  Here’s what Wenger had to say after the match:

Partizan gave us the game we expected – [they were] full of commitment, full of power on every break. We had a lot of the ball and created a lot of chances. However, we could not kill the game off and then we were always under threat. They came back with the penalty – afterwards we needed to keep the pace high and when we got the second goal I thought we looked comfortable.

Fabianski had a good game, we have seen the player tonight who we see in training. He had a faultless game. I know it is in him. He got it out in the game tonight and hopefully that will give him the needed belief and confidence. I am confident he will come out as a great keeper, I have always said that. We have to keep confidence in him and he needs to gain experience from games like this. At the moment Almunia is injured, we will have to see how his injury goes but at the moment it is too early to say.

[Jack Wilshere] got a few knocks and I decided to be cautious with him. Especially in the first half Jack, Arshavin and Chamakh were a constant threat. I like what he did on the goal because it is quick, instant reaction.

In other news, Kyle Bartley, who is on load to Sheffield was injured seriously in a match.  He’s got a fractured cheekbone and will be out for 6 to 8 weeks according  to his manager.  It also seems that Essien might miss the match against Arsenal after he was found to be limping after the CL match yesterday.  Chelsea will provide more news on that during the week.  Si I leave you here with the highlights, courtesy of Arsenalist.com:

 

We Choose The Worst Day For This Dreadful Result, But I Will Still Watch Arsenal Next Week, The Week After…And So On

The pain of 3-2 is still very much here.  I pretty pissed off.  The team let us, AW down in a very bad way.  When I was chatting with a friend, I told him the lineup was very defensive.  Within the first 20 minutes, I could see we had a problem – we still hadn’t got our passing moves flowing.  Half time came, still goalless.  AW should have chosen to inject more creativity at the start of the second half, since we were struggling to have possession.  The first goal went in.  I was damned angry about the way Sagna got turned inside out for it.  The second goal was HORRIBLE.  Almunia somehow managed to redirect the ball into his own net.  Wenger then inexplicably decides to take off Koscielny.  Why didn’t he take of Song?  Song was awful in the match, giving the ball away needlessly.  Diaby was matching him in this area too, giving the ball away countless number of times.  Then the third goal came.  I was horrified.  3-0 down at home against WBA!

However, inside I was secretly nurturing hopes of a comeback.  Nasri, the only man who looked like he cared managed to notch two goals, but his heroics would go in vain as no other teammates put in decent a effort enough to assist him or grab a goal themselves.  The only decent performances were from Nasri, Rosicky, Chamakh.  The rest can drown themselves in a sea of shame.

Still, nothing is over.  Beat Partizan on Tuesday, smash Chelsea at the Bridge next week and everything shall be forgotten.  However, another half-hearted performance like this will only incite the Emirates faithful to unleash their wrath on the players and the manager.

C’mon Arsenal!

Bolton Preview + Predicted Lineup + Thoughts + Our All French Defense

Well, it’s Bolton today, the club where Wilshere was last loaned to.  For today’s match, we’ve got an injury galore, with RVP, Walcott and Vermaelen out.  All of them are key players and are bound to be missed.  However, unlike last year, this time, we' have proper cover (no Silvestre or AA as centre forward).  So Chamakh replaces RVP and Squillaci replaces Vermaelen.

Who replaces Walcott though is another problem.  We could be playing Eboue there, or Rosicky, Nasri or Wilshere or Vela.  I wouldn't risk Nasri though, since he’s just been back from a minor operation.  Personally, I would like to see Vela given a chance today, but knowing Wenger, he’s probably going to make him sit on the bench and give him a cameo appearance at the end of the match.  I guess he will prick Rosicky to play in the spot vacated by Theo.  So my predicted lineup comes as follows:

------------------Almunia--------------------

Sagna – KOS – Squillaci – Clichy

---------------------Song---------------------

----------------Fab – Diaby ----------------

--------Rosicky – Chamakh – AA -----

 

As you can see from the lineup, we’re probably going to have an all French defense line.  So, there should be no communication problem today.  It would be good to see how they handle Bolton.  Kevin Davies will surely act as a battering ram against our defense, but I think we will hold good.

Almunia again has a chance to prove he’s a good keeper.  Diaby should show some consistency, following up with a good performance after that authoritative display against Blackburn.  Fabregas should find his fitness quick as we’ve got many top players out, and he’s the one who can make a difference.  Arshavin should try to put in more effort and Rosicky should keep up his good performances and especially avoid any injury.  Chamakh in my opinion should aim to make sure he finishes all the chances he gets.  He should have had at least 6 goals had he not missed all those glorious chances in the first three matches.

So that’s it.  I’m hoping for a big win to keep us in second place.  I’m hoping that both Everton and West Ham topple their opponents (MANU and the Chavs), but West Ham – last to beat Chelsea – leaders, a long shot.  I can hope though, can’t I? See you later!   

Walcott Injured + Vote Him For Barclays Player Of The Month, RVP On Vacation + Arsenal Chat Room!

Well, it had to  happen.  The interlull has managed to crock our most inform player, Theo.  According to noises on the web, he’s supposed to be out for less than two weeks.  However, we need to take this guess with a pinch of salt, since RVP was also supposed to be out for 8-10 days, but instead ended up being sidelined until mid-October – happy vacation RVP!

Well, with Nasri coming back, Rosicky in dazzling form and Wilshere performing well in the Euro U21, I think we will handle Bolton fine without Walcott.  In other news, Squillaci made his  debut for Arsenal in a reserve match against Blackburn Rovers, where Arsenal ran out 4-3 winners, after being two down.  The young guns, Afobe and Aneke scored a brace and a goal respectively.  Djourou also featured in the match, along with fellow first teamers like Denilson and Fabianski.  JET also had a say in this match, netting the winning goal.

I hope we get no more injuries and that Chamakh holds good, because all of a sudden, we’re looking very short on target men.  Talking of strikers, it seems that Vela has fallen behind in the pecking order with the Mexican national team, with Manu’s striker Chicharito being favored ahead of him.  This I think, will not go down well with him, so what precious words of advice I have to give to Vela?  Go get him tiger!

Vela, show that cunty Manu striker who’s the best.  Well, I hope you do so!

Finally, I have good news for you guys, I have opened up a chat room for you to fool around with, if you’re missing fellow gooners and want a little chit-chat.  So head over the chatroom!  You can also click chat in the navigation menu above!  So, that’s it for today, will report more news as they break.  Also, you can vote Theo as Barclays’ Player Of The Month here.  The poll is on the bottom right of the page.

Almunia – Not The Best Keeper, But The Best We Have

Don’t mention Szczesny or Mannone.  In my eyes, they’re not ready.  So out of Fabianski and Almunia, you don’t really need to think hard to know who’s the better one.  Admittedly when the transfer window was open, we all openly criticized our keepers so that AW buys one who is better.  Schwarzer has been linked and is marginally better than Almunia, but no move materialized.  Now that the transfer window has slammed shut, it’s time for up to slam shut our mouths and get behind Almunia.

AW has repeatedly showed signs of the confidence he has with Almunia, by giving him the armband many times, and declaring that the one who plays on the opening day at Liverpool will be our number one.  AW also sees something in Almunia which he often mentions.  He thinks that Almunia looks very good in training.  Now, many  of us don’t see what AW has seen in Almunia, but frankly, who though that Flamini, Song, etc., would turn out to be so good. Obviously AW had seen their talent and waited for them to show it on field.

The same applies for Almunia.  AW is waiting for Almunia to show his full abilities.  AW mentioned how Almunia loses his nerves in big matches against big team.  He will improve only if we get behind him.

So for once, let’s get behind him, and Almunia, if you’re reading this, I throw you one challenge:

Get Iker Casillas’ place in the Spain squad