Arsenal vs Stoke preview: Vela to double-up after Theo’s injury

Vela needs to be retained in Walcott's absence

Wenger apology

Before I preview the Stoke game I need to make an apology to one Arsene Wenger.

In yesterday’s post I criticised the manager for refusing to shake hands with Mark Hughes. And while I still stand by the fact that he probably should have done the sporting thing, after reading everybody’s comments and this article by Online Gooner, I can totally understand where he’s coming from. Oh, and Hughes is a twat – just in case you hadn’t figured that out.

To those that took my comments about Wenger’s conduct as a cry to have him sacked, dream on. I’m a firm believer in the manager and his philosophy and although we’re going through a difficult patch right now I’m still extremely excited about how this season could turn out – especially once Nicklas Bendtner gets back into the team.

Stoke preview

Time to move on now and the Arsenal boys have an opportunity to put a bad run of form behind them with the visit of Stoke City to The Emirates on Saturday.

The manager will be without the services of our usual absentees as well as Theo Walcott who injured his hamstring and Alex Song who is suspended. Walcott’s unavailability is a big blow particularly considering my comments earlier in the week about speed being a massive commodity in the absence of a physical presence up front.

For those interested in the World Cup draw, I’ll be doing a liveblog on Football Nomad later today from 5.00pm UK Time. Join in the fun by clicking here. Cheers!

Carlos Vela was deployed up front at Manchester City with the intention of utilising his pace on the front line and I hope he gets the opportunity to start in Walcott’s absence. Eduardo should get the nod centrally while Andrey Arshavin will no doubt start on whichever wing Vela (or Samir Nasri or Tomas Rosicky doesn’t).

There is also the option for Wenger to revert to 4-4-2 and given the absence of Song that might not be the worst move. Denilson and Cesc Fabregas could take up the central positions with any combination of Nasri, Rosicky or Arshavin taking up the wing positions while Vela and Eduardo join forces up front.

Whatever team the manager selects the main thing Arsenal supporters will want to see from the players is a great deal of heart and desire on display. With an opportunity to rotate the squad against Olympiakos this week the players will have a full week to recover in time for Liverpool and as such, it would be absolutely inexcusable for any player not to put in 100%.

Stoke are a notoriously physical team and as such our defenders need to be up for it on Saturday. We know what sort of threat they will pose on free-kicks and corners (and throw-ins!) and Manuel Almunia, Thomas Vermaelen and William Gallas need to ensure they take charge from the opening whistle. Our limitations in attack means we’re unlikely to put three or four past Stoke and we need to rely on our defence to hold firm at the back.

It’s imperative we get a win tomorrow but what’s even more important is that the players on display dig in and give it everything they’ve got. Most fans aren’t stupid and will be patient with the boys given the current limitations of the side Wenger will put out, so the players on display need to respect that by putting in a determined, committed effort.

Anything less would be extremely disappointing.

Have your say on Arsenal’s clash with Stoke by leaving a comment.

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Comments

  1. Arsenal should sign one of

    Edin Dzeko/Chamakh/Barotelli

    &

    Neven Subotic

    &

    One good goalie like Igor Ikinfeev

    &
    &

    Anyone

  2. i agree completly
    eduardo is good but i think we wud do better with vela up to support as a lone striker eduardo cannot cope.
    Hopefully we can bounce back agaist stoke and if we win this won it will be a great boost for our boyz

  3. I say give vela, wilshere, eboue & merida a chance to play stoke.

    I am sure they will be up to it.

    Rest Dennilson, Arsharvin, Eduardo. They aren’t playing as well at the moment.

  4. If Wenger decides to stick with the 4-3-3 formation – which he probably will – I expect this team to feature.

    ———-Almunia————
    Sagna-Gallas-Vermaelen-Traore/Eboue
    ———-Denilson———–
    ——Cesc——Rosicky——
    Arshavin—————-Vela/Nasri-
    ———-Eduardo————

    Wenger played Rosicky centrally against Man City, so I don’t see why he shouldn’t start there again.

  5. I was hugely disappointed with the soul-selling British media’s reaction to the handshaking fiasco. Because Hughes is British there is no mention of his abhorrent behaviour throughout the match, just as Cesc Fabregas was a pantomime foreign villain against Hull last season when Brian Horton’s verbal tirades were simply disgusting. There is a protectionist attitude that exists in the UK and it is unfair. The media then subsequently put more pressure on Arsenal while Hughes and co are made out to be saints.

    As for tomorrow, it didn’t escape my notice that the goals we conceded on Wednesday were due to mistakes from experienced players. All the same, I’d be playing our most experienced eleven against Stoke but I would dearly like to see Wilshere feature at some point. I have to say I’ve been very disappointed with Carlos Vela this season. Hopefully with a few games under his belt we’ll see more of the Vela we all know he can be.

  6. I agree Andy; Vela, Arshavin and Eduardo at home against stoke have exactly what we need to get the goals flowing again.

    Rosicky played mid-week, so rest him and play Denilson, Cesc and Nasri as the three in midfield.

    I don’t see him changing back to 4-4-2. We had a case of burnout against sunderland and we got beaten by Europe’s most in-form team afterwords. It’s not a disaster; let’s just get back on track.

  7. Wow, the reaction to the Carling Cup defeat has been absolutely crazy. It’s been worse than the reaction after the Chelsea game. If anything, it should have been the other way round… what’s worse… losing at home with your full team or losing away with your reserve team? Seeing the team line ups, I didn’t really expect us to beat Man City – but understand that we use this competition as a way of nurturing the younger members of the team, so understood completely why Arsene chose the line up that he did.

    The only question marks I had were the inclusion of Alex Song, who has been pivotal to our season, and also not sure why he was picked in defence. With the Cameroonian going away on African Nations duty and Arsene recently saying he needed a rest, it does strike me as very strange to see him

  8. icehammer,
    i see what your saying bout the young physical players we hav comin thru but i hope that they are not being overlooked…it seems to me the ones out on loan,thomas,simpson,lansbury and gavin hoyte are robust,dynamic sorts who are able for the physical side and i pray to god they are not out there to just increase their value before a sale
    andy,
    once again an excellent reflection on all things current,am also leaning,only slightly,in favor of our manager over wed nites fallout….still apprehensive about alot of issues in the club but will reign in and limit my comments from herein as dont want to be viewed negative….
    am hopeful of a strong performance against stoke..lets see some character

  9. C’mon GOONERS!!! We must show our faith in ARSENAL FOOTBALL CLUB… Lets donate 100 pounds each to A.F.C, with one million supporters around the world, we will have 100 million!!! With the money given to wenger, surely he will buy players, if not we shall ask for his head when many of you requested!! with 100 million our new lineup will be: GK – BUFFON Def – sagna, clichy, vermaelen and NESTA Mid – YAYA TOURE, cesc and nasri Fwd – arshavin, VAN NISTELROY and AGUERO how about it? all those who cried out for arsene head and seem as though their lives and arsenal fate are entwined together, are you willing to splash out the cash instead of your nasty salivas? This is the team that will be world beaters…

  10. Don’t think alot of people want Wenger out, who is good enough to replace Wenger anyway. I was just dissapointed that he snub Hughes, I knew the reason but I always thought Wenger would be a bigger man but fair enough he has the right to do that not everyone could turn the other cheek if put in the same situation including myself.

    The situation made worse by unbalanced media reports coupled with the constrast of our players exchanging handshakes with the city players. Once again the media love to make Arsenal their dartboard.

    Anyway don’t worry about tommorow guys, we’ll win the game. Cheers!

  11. Arsene should have been above that. Hughes is a moron but the pressure is getting to Arsene, the youth policy just isn’t working and its another season with no trophies. Gooner fans have been very loyal and patient with Arsene but my patience is wearing a bit thin guys, playing nice football and not winning is no better than playing crap and losing, same end result!

  12. People – http://uk.msn.com/ Down the left hand side – Sport . There’s a cracking video interview with Arsene about the non handshake with the muppet. My estimation of Arsene has always been way up there but I did wonder a bit after the “shitty” game . No more wondering – he’s a TOP TOP man and I’m sorry I doubted him . What a guy.
    I really fancy a good result tomorrow , about 3 – 0 sounds right , with Vela getting a couple.

  13. @Andy, nice come back man! We read enough negativity everywhere and certainly we don’t need it here.

    That said, we need a goal, any goal from anyone for that matter. We can’t buy one at the moment. If we score first, we will get our confidence back. The opposition will try to score rather than parking the bus. That will open up a space for us. I hope Edwardo scores because he needs it the most for Arsenal’s sake.

    Sunderland figured out the best way to play us and pray we didn’t score first, that’s all. It worked out for them only because we didn’t score. We can’t simply abandon the way we have been trained to play whenever we have a bad patch. I still believe the injuries and loss of form to some players coincided at the wrong time for us. If the veteran players step up their game, we will be fine for sure.

    Let’s not all give up the title just yet. Chelsea and ManU will drop points, that’s is guaranteed!

  14. arsenal should signa at least one strker and a good goal keeper, cos we don,t have acomplete striker.

  15. Shaking hands wouldnt have made wenger the bigger man. He argues with managers often but only refuses the handshake when he feels they’ve been really disrespectful and out of order.
    I applaud that kind of action. It shows courage. It would have been easier to shake hands with the guy and act all buddy-buddy in truth than to say: I find the way you acted offensive.
    Wenger makes his share of mistakes but I’m glad we have a man like that manager my team – better than the fakes, who will act all nice and stab us in the back, 1st opportunity

  16. andy,
    tough group for you lets hope you do it tho il wil be shoutin for the aussies in irelands absense..shur your nearly all half irish anyway with lads named cahill,carney,moore,mcdonald,milligan, and kennedy……up the aussies
    ps brazil and france will not get thru their groups,you heard it here first

  17. LISTEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  18. LISTEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    it can’ go on like this. i had real hopes at the beggining opf the season when i saw our boys play. i thought that this is the team that wenger blew 4 years without trophies for. i always sayd that wenger is the best and that he is the best thing that ever happened to arsenal. when you see him now… i think that he should have left arsenal when henry, bergkamp, vieira (the dream team left). i think it is time that we get a new manager. there, i sayd it.

    TRANSFERS

    i think that wenger still didn’t learn his lesson. look at the transfer plans above.

    CHELSEA- gattuso, agüero, ribery

    MAN UTD- david villa, yaya toure

    BARCELONA- robinho, mascherano

    LIVERPOOL- forlan, mata/elia, vargas

    great players… the team will realy make themself stronger.

    and now… our ARSENAL (i love this club with all my heart, but this is got to be sayd)

    ARSENAL:

    STRIKERS:
    -gignac
    -balotelli(wenger sayd today he won’t sign)
    -chamakh(wenger sayd earlyer he will probably not sign)
    -pazzini
    -dzeko (sayd he won’t leave wolfsburg in january)
    -v.nistelrooy (will probably join liverpool on loan)

    DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDERS (if wenger signs):
    -inler
    -moussa sissoko
    -cabaye

    DEFENDER (again, if):
    -van der wiel
    -zapata
    -sakho
    subotic

    what do we see???

    the same old shit. some unexpirienced young players that are good enought for clubs like sunderland (who beat us!!!!!), portsmought or blackburn.

    why shouldn’t we buy players like DAVID VILLA, GATTUSO, YAYA TOURE, V.NISTELROOY, FORLAN…

    because wenger wants fucking younsters!!!!!!

    i’m gled that arsenal are willing to sign hazard and zezinho. a young defender like sakho and that should just about do it for youngsters (because we have a great youth academy).

    we should be signing first team players MR WENGER!!!!!!!!!!

    wenger!!!! you have the cash!!!! use it to buy an expirienced guaranty succes player, like: david villa/v.nistelrooy and gattuso/de rossi/yaya toure

    WIN SOMETHING THIS YEAR (PREMIER LEAGUE OR CHAMPIONS LEAGUE) OR GET THE FUCK OUT OF ARSENAL!!!!!!!!!

    YOU ARE RUINING OUR CLUB!!!!!!!!!!

  19. No comment abt AW not shaking hand.
    As for the team, I cannot lie about my deep desapointed toward the manager and the team especially Vela’s and Eduardo’s recent forms, I personnaly think that Vela and Dudu are great players but they cant just cope with the English game, they would do better than this in the La Liga, we need stronger, faster, creative striker.
    As for AW, I could finally see how stuborn the man is, I quote what he said: “.How can we not play the players we have develloped…”, if you know that they are not effective then they just arent!!!!!Our 1st team wouldnt even beat the Mancitys lineup, how in the world our 2nd team would beat them????That was madness to me, AW was playing under HIS OWN PRINCIPLES STUBORNLY without reasonning and looking at the real fact anymore.We need trophies and carling cup is already one.Our 1st team need to more games to get their confidence back and I was desapointed that AW didnt play the 1st team agst Mancity.
    Finally, a suggestion that i ve always wanted to propose:
    – Why cant we put Vermaelen to pair with Song and buy a stronger and pure Center back to pair with Gallas?? Verma would make a good attacking midfielder and a very strong support for Song, plus he is a left footed player which can always bring pbm to defnders, he is so good at 25-30m shooting,We would have one of the best midfield in the PL if we have it like that:
    Sagna-Gallas-New CB-Clichy
    ——–Song-Verma——–
    ———–Cesc———–
    Theo——New Striker—Arsha
    (Nasri)—–Bendy——(Rosicky)

    Get rid of Diaby, Deni and the some of the players we dont need.
    WE DFNTLY NEED BENDY TO GET BACK ASAP AND GET A NEW STRIKER LIKE CHAMAK.

  20. Yea c’mon Arsenal. I agree the supporters have to get behind the team and manager and rally around them. So what? It’s only 2 games we’ve lost against 2 of the teams that are going to give Arsenal and the rest of the premier league a lot of trouble this year.
    I do think though it’s time for a few of the youngsters who aren’t that young any more to step up and return the investment in them that the club has put in. I don’t think band-aid/plaster solutions with past it fogies like Van Nistlerooy and Gatuso is the solution. We do need another tall, decent striker in their 20s in January though.
    As for the draw for the Socceroos, I don’t think the country should heap loads of expectation on them after that terrible draw. Making it through to the second round would be a significant achievement.

  21. almunia
    sagna gallas verm traore
    denilson
    ramsey fab
    nasri vela arshavin/eduardo

    Vela through the middle cos he can actually control the ball and link play. Nasri is on decent form, so should play, and either arshavin or eduardo out wide. Cant decide between them tbh, both look off-form

  22. Id really like us to get luis suarez from ajax. i think hes the captain. Hes had an insane year in getting goals and reminds me a bit of van persie in style.
    I think we might go for this kid Nimani from monaco. He looks good too, about 6 ft 3, very powerful and good in the air – but only 21 so probably not someone we want to sign to lead the line straight away!

  23. I didnt realise suarez is 22!
    Hes built like tevez, and scored more than a goal a game so far this year – I say we get this guy

  24. How can some of you always ask Wenger to play his first team in every competition as if that would guaranty us some silverware? Do you notice the injuries piling up already to our first 11? Emotions aside for a moment, the season is not even halfway yet. The 2 first team players played on Wed. Walcatt injured, Song got his 5th yellow card. Now, do you really think that’s wise then? We want the young players to have a real game experience on one hand, and we want the full first team squad to play every game on the other. What kind of logic is that? By the way, did anyone of you notice that Chelsea was also eliminated on that night? I’m sure they had a good mix of first team players in there. Can anyone guarantee that Chelsea will win any silverware at the end? There will be a lot of twists and turns to come yet. YES, they are the inform team at the moment, that’s it. Wake up Gooners there is a lot to hope for!

  25. Even though we did not get any trohy in the last five years ,the gunners playing style is interssting.but arsene should be flexible,we know that the team is profitable ,but the fans want to win the title.we need striker like Gignac,for satrdays display against stock i fear that we may not score goal……glory for gunnrs

  26. WENGER!!!!! we want to be champs, not 4th!!!!!!!!!!! he sayd today that he might not buy anybody in the transfer window!!!!!

    FUCK U WENGER!!!!!! GET THE FUCK OUT OF ARSENAL!!!!!!!!

    AND GO TRAIN A PRIMARY SCHOOL TEAM IF U LIKE YOUNGSTERS SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  27. Well lads englandshire get an easy-ish group again. I never thought I would be supporting the yanks but I suppose its the lesser of two evils ha ha ha! C’mon Oz and the Kiwis. As a Scot my world cup plan is simple A B E anyone but england! More importantly its not and shouldn’t be complete doom and gloom for Arsenal. The core of a good team is there, we need someone upfront to put the ball away. Goals are coming from all over the pitch but we need a consistent deadily striker to snap up chances esp against sides like Chelsea and United where its our finishing that has let us down badly. I still think Arsene is the man for the job but I think he has to swallow his pride

  28. Here I am again. (I had a rootkit on my PC and had to make a recovery)
    I’m not informed about the recent incidents, but I am sure Wenger has good reasons if he doesn’t shake hands with somebody.

    I read about the defeat with Chelsea on TV and it hurt. I had hoped at least it would have been a draw. But it’s snow from yesterday yet.

    So I hope Stoke City will be a good match for Arsenal in two hours. And I hope I can watch it without a worm or anything else disturbing!! 😉

  29. @GetgunM, we have just been defeated badly without a fight my friend, thats why we need 1st team to step up cos they lack confidence.
    Also, remember that 4 years now that AW has given time to his you ng squad to devellop, where is it???? next year??/ Tomrw?? I know that there are still a lot to hope for but being defeated without a fight is something else.I have also noticed that Cesc is a great player but not a great leader with authority, i see Cesc taking all the responsabilities on the field, trying to prove his teamate by action but the others just dont wake up.Cesc is the only guy I see penetrating in the box with good moove and creativity.Thats how we got those great record early season cos Cesc,RVP, Arsha are all performin good movement and creativity in box without the ball.
    Cesc should talk to his player on the pitch, being imposive with authority as captain and tell them what to do cos I usually see some of them dont even know what they ought to do out there on the pitch.
    Eboue is also one of the creative player that i like, and I always suggest him to be part of the startin11, the only thing I dont like with him is his spreaded arms and legs dive for nothing on the pitch, sorry ha haha!!
    We need a new striker, i personnaly dont trust Vela particularely with strong and physical team, he cant just fight to be on front of defenders, and he always fall down i dont know!!! Lets see the game !!!

  30. they really lack confidence, Rosicky is completely out of the game, Fabregas can’t convert a penalty, there is much confusion in their game, hope the second goal will arrive soon!!

  31. the goal arrived, but I couldn’t see it! the channel was too bad during the second half, so I have to wait for your comments!! 😉

  32. What do you know crazy old Arsene Wenger was right about Chelsea dropping point… Thought that man was insane… (sarcasm…)

  33. lolllllllllll,
    so now we win the league????lolllllllllllll
    winnin our games was all we needed to do in the first place preen,we close the gap and then get spanked at stamford bridge in a 6 pointer and fall behind again….huge changes still need to be made and 1 win vs stoke wont paper over that….nasri isnt good enough,cesc and arsha made it happen today

  34. Here we go again folks – good result – but not nearly good enough !!
    Our finishing was SHIT . We ran rings around Stoke but we couldn’t finish them off . It should have been over at half time . How can we consider ourselves serious challengers for Championes League and Premier League when we continue to squander chance after chance. Denilson HAS to be shipped out – he’s not nearly good enough . Keeps getting shoved aside and then trots back like it’s no big deal. He’s a muppet and why he’s allowed to wear an Arsenal shirt is a mystery . ALMUNIA !!!! Andy , I know you support him , but come on man , he’s a disaster . He’s NEVER, nor ever will be , a Premier League ‘keeper . What a flap merchant . Every time Delap had a throw in he came out panicking and flapping and NEVER got to the ball. He has to go Andy.He affects the whole team and it’s obvious , especially the defense . HE HAS TO GO . Eboue is not given the credit he deserves , he’s a good player , great effort , always involved , all over the pitch.Arshavin – jury still out ! Not sure if he’s what Arsenal need. Very wasteful . Some lovely touches but need more than that to survive week in week out in Premier League . One on one with Sorensen – he didn’t know what to do !! Really , he did not know what to do , Sorensen just took the ball from him – candy from a baby . Cesc ! What’s with the showboating ? Penalty kick . Great opportunity to score . Two steps up and side foots it. Meat and drink to a keeper . F##k the showboating – hit it like you’ve just caught it shitting on you front door mat – bit of venom – but no , more important you look good !! We ran rings around Stoke but we were NOT convincing because if you don’t put the ball in the net you get f##k all for the effort.Still scratching my head here !!

  35. Well, good outing today for the boyz, but Wenger hasn’t got it right @all. Arsenal as a club i love so much with my heart, still lack every thing to make a classic squad! while i say so is the fact that, our dear manager AW’sphilosophy of breeding young gunns & sell is getting out of hands. I thought he sade he bring us a trophy this season? i dont believe that he can do the this season or in the nearest future! The point i’m trying to make is that wenger needs to get solid defenders,strikers as well as the midfild;even a goal keeper, ‘cos almunia isnt it @all! i prefere vito mannone to almunia.Arsen wenger so much believe in this guys that even surnd’land will beat us! what a faliour of philosophy! i mean arsenal is great club, that’s why we need to upgrade our greatness by winning games, ‘cos we’re not doin much.

  36. @spanish gunner,
    a man after my own heart…wel said
    did you all see how that mix and match utd team destroyed west ham today with direct ruthless football???so much we hav yet to learn im afraid…

  37. we wont be winning the league this season so you hav to take the gme for wot it was,another 3pts where l’pool dropped 2,thats the best i can take from it,dont start talkin bout closin the gap on chelsea because wer not and wont be in that race,and we dont deserve to be
    my worry is that gallas,arsha,verm,sagna and cesc are and hav been carryin the team,sure the rest looked pretty today as we wer at home but when these guys tire wil nasri,deni,eboue,walcott and rosicky(sigh) step up and fight away from home….i think theyv had enough time now and havnt delivered in this respect,their not capable,its not in them they find it easier to let the clock run down and take wot comes rather than make it happen.thats why we are where we are and we cant do the job like the 2 teams in front of us
    i mean fletcher,scholes,giggs,gibson,anderson,kuzchak….wenger wudnt hav any of them in our squad on paper and they take 3pts off west ham at a canter…whos gettin it right and whos wide if the mark??????

  38. Guys come on! this negativity has become unpleasant. Obviously Arsha and Cesc were a bit off form lately. Actually I thought Nasri was great today. We were just not lucky in this game. We should have wrapped it up early on, but it just was not to be. This was the team we were warned about. Big, physical, play direct ball, and wonder why they didn’t beat us then. Early in the season, all our shots went in. You really need some luck sometimes. Keep the faith guys, keep the faith.

  39. It’s very likely that I am imagining things but, was it a heavy rain in those last few losses? I noticed that the weather was pretty dry today and felt that maybe the poor performances this season have come in driving rainstorms. If anyone has the weather reports from this seasons games, I’d be interested in having a look.

  40. @GetGunMN .I don’t think being realistic and seeing things for what they are can be seen as being negative.I accept that luck often plays a part but I also believe that you make your own luck.You say , correctly , “early in the season all our shots went in” – but yesterday we weren’t taking shots ! We consistently tried to walk the ball over the bloody goal line!How many times yesterday were there opportunities for a shot ? I lost count – and Csec(love him to bits) was probably the biggest offender.It should,without doubt, have been 4 – 0 at half time. You can not waste those chances at that level of football and especially against the better teams.Shambogunner has it bang to rights when he says “take the game for what it was , another 3 points and L’Pool dropped 2”.The rest of his post is also well said reference having enough time and not delivering .Those are FACTS.I’ll give you some more. Some of these players are NOT going to deliver.Rosicky – he’s a ghost mostly. Denilson – lightweight and has no fight in him.Walcott – how long does he need ? Almunia – let’s not even go there!As for “kids” and “young team” and “team in development” – I don’t want to hear any more of that because it’s just not true any more.If we’re content to fight for a top 4 place and qualify for the Champions League every year then I think we’ve probably got that – but that’s not good enough for me and it shouldn’t be good enough for ARSENAL FOOTBALL CLUB -and it shouldn’t be good enough for Arsene Wenger!!Time he got his head out of his ass and has a look at the real world .

  41. God, Shambo, Spanish and a few of you other guys, you’re so bloody depressing. We win a game 2-0 and all we hear is ‘Not good enough’, “need new players’, ‘why can’t we be like man u?’ ‘F*ck that! Pick your bloody faces up for christs, sake. We won 2-0 with half our team nobbled. Well done Arsenal.

  42. @Hey Nonny Mouse. Nothing depressing about it buddy – just people stating facts – seeing it as it is . Yes , we won 2 – 0 – against Stoke !! OK , just another step in a long season and the right result , but if you really think that this squad are going to be challenging for the Premiership come April then I think you’re living in Disneyland friend.Nothing wrong with realism .

  43. i couldnt agree more with you spanish gunner!
    although i have huge respect for our manager for the guy he is, very disciplined, hardly thinks of anything else but football, but lets be honest here, you can never grow a team on a tree . take an example of Barca they have the best academy in the world, without a doubt, yet they go out in the market and buy a couple of players every season who they think will fit their system perfectly and make it better, why cant Arsene Wenger do that ?
    just do out buy a Centre Back, Goalie and a Striker, thats it! Arsenal becomes a force in Europe there and then !
    Please go buy Dzeko, Chamakh and get a decent center back, and dont miss out on Akinfeev like we did on Given and look what Given is doing for those stupid Citizens!

    Gunner till the day i die .. !!

  44. nonny,dude iv done the whole ‘wait and see’ and hav kept faith for a long time now,and so hav alot of other arsenal fans…this is the only blog i post on but i occasionally go read on others just to make sure im not being negative or overly critical,as i hav been often accused.im sorry to say at this moment you are the minority,ur waiting,hoping that things miraculously turn around and that their really isnt a problem.well their is,the fact that these players promised potential hasnt come to fruition isnt down to bad luck or wotever ur blaming it on….its been 4 years+ now,so for spanish,ice and gunnerboss etc to say players arent good enough and the manager needs to change his style are well warranted and correct….if we had a 27yr old player when arsene started these promises hed hav been sold,retired or left because of the lack of siverware….4years is a massive amount of time in a players lifespan but you seem to be ok and wanna wait for another 4yrs,and its not that we havnt won anything,its how far away from winning things wev been…
    cesc will leave in the summer and arsha was voicing his discontent last summer about needing to bulk up the squad,that was after being here 5 mths!now he too has been begging the manager to make some moves,but who do we get linked with????more ‘prospects’
    nonny do you think i like speaking of utd in that way???their a shower of c$nts but you cant but envy the way they took apart west ham after wot we did there and the personel they used in the process…..i cant help my anger at this point becos its a result of so much pent up frustration and the managers failure to recognise issues and failure to ever acknowledge our fans and i refuse to stick my head in the ground and come up smiling after beating stoke at home 2-0,maybe if the manager had ever once just said ‘i feel for the fans’ or apologise to travelling fans after gutless away displays,but no he doesnt feel accountable to any1 despite the thousands of times ‘theres only one arsene wenger’ rings in his ears, hes gotten more love and trust than youd give your wife but wot has he given you in return the last 4 years????not even acknowledgement,and in between the poor run hes given us more than his fair share of touchline controversy which reflects badly on us and the club in regards to fair play.and he never sees anything!!!!be honest and come out like moyes and bruce,its refreshing!!!!
    the standards at the club hav plummeted and where chels,utd,pool and even villa/city/spurs hav so many players who fight and uphold club traditions we only hav cesc,gallas,verm,RvP,sagna and arsha who ,IMO really care and who fight when our backs are to the wall….do i think deni,almunia,nasri,diaby,eboue,walcott,vela and co woke up last monday morning as gutted as all our fans??? not for a second…theres minimal interaction or connection between some of these guys and our fans and there a world away from wot this club stands for…maybe we are just a stepping stone club for these guys…wel i wont stand for that and i want guys who want to put the jersey on and give you everything,there my standards and,as a paying fan, i wont apologise for refusing to except anything less

  45. and wot about shay given yesterday??? now theres a goalkeeeper,no fuss no theatrics,just class….but obviously not worth 5m,eh arsene?

  46. Check what Arshavin has to say about the team’s lack of height and strength.This is so obvious that we need tall player and strength in our squad.
    We need a tall and strong Center Back and move VERMAELEN up to pair with SONG, get a new striker on January,
    WHY AW CANT DO THIS????? Everybody, even his own players all say that we need a tall center back cos we suffer a lot from set pieces, why in the world doesnt he want to do it?????? Now Bordeaux refuse to sell Chamakh, You snooze you loose buddy!!!!! dzeko is too expensive, 75Mil price tag for D.Villa, So who is he thinking of bringing in then???These are only some of the names that I think of who can match RVP,s class, there might some others but I think they would be expensive too!!!.but i really think that we are still gonna suffer this January.

    SAGNA-GALLAS-NEW CB- CLICHY
    ———SONG-VERMA——-
    ————CESC———–
    THEO——-NEW STRK—ARSHA

    By the way,Arsha was very good as central striker.
    Up the Gun!!!

  47. The lack of positivity on here today and yesterday has suprised me.

    We’ve just won 2-0 to end a difficult period while Chelsea has lost. Let’s get behind the boys and stop worrying about what we don’t have when we can’t get it for another month. There’s no point worrying about size when our three tallest and strongest players are injured.

    Hopefully the positivity will be back after today’s post – it’s been long overdue. Cheer up!

  48. i wonder how many times have we said “we were unlucky” this season. Too many goals missed yesterday, we won’t win anything playing like this.um not sure wot our midfilders are doing, they seem to be cruising somewhere between the center line and the oppositions penalty area. i don’t see them helping our defenders and they are not a threat when we go forward either. every time sagna crosses the ball i see 1 or 2 red shirts. it was however a better display from nasri. is rosicky still interested in playing for this club?

  49. What about all the penalty misses this weekend – incredible . Our own Cesc , Lampard for Chelski , Defoe for the Spuds and Ronaldo for Real Madrid – he also got red carded – Ha!
    It must have been World Penalty Miss Weekend !!

  50. ha ha up yours spurs!!!!
    andy,iv asked you this before but never got an answer….who would you sign to strengthen the team,ignoring who wev been linked with,who do you think cud come in and instill that winning mentality we need?

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