Pimped up Mancs (who won't be punished in a million years) H Weds Feb 15th KO 730PM Amazon Prime

[beck]

Potential champions don't lose away at Everton and draw at home to Brentford (regardless of VAR...which was a disgrace all the same). The wheels are wobbling and if we lose this against City, then it's title over and probably 3rd place at best and 4th if we seriously implode.

It's like watching a second decade Wenger season and it may be unfair, but I've always had the feeling that Arteta is the new Wenger. He's certainly a disciple of his. I also can't shake the notion that he takes advice from him, but that's pure personal speculation. He does seem to share a stubbornness and a refusal to change what isn't working. For a start, Tomi should replace White at RB and he's blind to the crapness of Xhaka and the ineffectiveness of Nketiah.

Sadly, I can't see anything but a loss here. Firstly City will smell blood and secondly, I can't see where our goals will come from. Last couple of games it's been slow tip tapping the ball across the pitch and backwards, with a lack of high tempo and incision. I've also got a vision of Haaland chasing a through ball and our keeper haring out and fucking up.

0-3.

70/ 71
Lost at Huddersfield
Drew home to Crystal Palace
88/89
Lost home to Aston Villa
Drew at Luton
97/98
Lost at Sheff weds
Drew at spurs
01/02
Lost at home to charlton
Drew at home to Bolton

[Redarmy]

Our only chance for the league was a Leicester style momentum roll without hiccups. And I’m certainly not comparing our run to Leicester as we are a far better side. But crucially the Everton game was a bear pit with a new manager and that could not be predicted. We’ve then had a poor game but on the verge of getting away with it v Brentford we have been genuinely robbed. I fear that the wheels will come off properly on Wednesday. We’ve been fucked over royally and we don’t have the squad to deal with it.

I understand where you're coming from Bobby, but and it is a little 'but',


We are ahead of the planned schedule of the project, process etc... But 99.9% of us have been Genuinely Surprised, even shocked by what has so far been achieved in the Prem)... No way did I even envisage us being top Of The League at ANY time this season.

Arteta has nigh on worked miracles; particularly with such a young and mostly in-experienced squad..and I wouldn't rule out his ability to lift and successfully guide the team through these next few HUGE Games... It IS do-able, it Can be done! So keep the faith mon frèreI Keep The Faith.

Chelsea will be better next season. As will United. I think you’ll find this was our only chance of the league for a long long time.

Agreed since leicester won it.....we need a win on wednesday....possible although unlikely but we could get the win we need...heres hoping

[Redarmy]

Potential champions don't lose away at Everton and draw at home to Brentford (regardless of VAR...which was a disgrace all the same). The wheels are wobbling and if we lose this against City, then it's title over and probably 3rd place at best and 4th if we seriously implode.

It's like watching a second decade Wenger season and it may be unfair, but I've always had the feeling that Arteta is the new Wenger. He's certainly a disciple of his. I also can't shake the notion that he takes advice from him, but that's pure personal speculation. He does seem to share a stubbornness and a refusal to change what isn't working. For a start, Tomi should replace White at RB and he's blind to the crapness of Xhaka and the ineffectiveness of Nketiah.

Sadly, I can't see anything but a loss here. Firstly City will smell blood and secondly, I can't see where our goals will come from. Last couple of games it's been slow tip tapping the ball across the pitch and backwards, with a lack of high tempo and incision. I've also got a vision of Haaland chasing a through ball and our keeper haring out and fucking up.

0-3.

70/ 71
Lost at Huddersfield
Drew home to Crystal Palace
88/89
Lost home to Aston Villa
Drew at Luton
97/98
Lost at Sheff weds
Drew at spurs
01/02
Lost at home to charlton
Drew at home to Bolton

in 70/71 lost away at *derby (should be stoke) 5-0...then went on a long unbeaten run...that team won the double had some strong characters

[Retro Gunner]

Potential champions don't lose away at Everton and draw at home to Brentford (regardless of VAR...which was a disgrace all the same). The wheels are wobbling and if we lose this against City, then it's title over and probably 3rd place at best and 4th if we seriously implode.

It's like watching a second decade Wenger season and it may be unfair, but I've always had the feeling that Arteta is the new Wenger. He's certainly a disciple of his. I also can't shake the notion that he takes advice from him, but that's pure personal speculation. He does seem to share a stubbornness and a refusal to change what isn't working. For a start, Tomi should replace White at RB and he's blind to the crapness of Xhaka and the ineffectiveness of Nketiah.

Sadly, I can't see anything but a loss here. Firstly City will smell blood and secondly, I can't see where our goals will come from. Last couple of games it's been slow tip tapping the ball across the pitch and backwards, with a lack of high tempo and incision. I've also got a vision of Haaland chasing a through ball and our keeper haring out and fucking up.

0-3.

70/ 71
Lost at Huddersfield
Drew home to Crystal Palace
88/89
Lost home to Aston Villa
Drew at Luton
97/98
Lost at Sheff weds
Drew at spurs
01/02
Lost at home to charlton
Drew at home to Bolton

Ah, that’s ok then. Don’t know what what I was worrying about. Of course, you missed the 5-0 reverse away to Stoke in the 70/71 season.

Maybe I’m paranoid after our more recent collapses in 2008 and 2010. Maybe it’s a feeling I get after watching the last two performances and thinking a trend might be developing in our game. Maybe it’s the inevitable negative effect of Xhaka in the team, Eddie looking toothless and a goalkeeper that simply makes me nervous every time I watch him. Any team can lose a game, either because it just wasn’t their day, or because they put in a poor performance and I was prepared to consider that after the Everton loss. However, the performance against Brentford has worried me. As Augie said a few posts above, we could have easily been 0-2 down at half time.

Then again, maybe you’re right and we’ll storm to the title. I think we’ll know a lot more come close of play on Weds.

[Redarmy]

Potential champions don't lose away at Everton and draw at home to Brentford (regardless of VAR...which was a disgrace all the same). The wheels are wobbling and if we lose this against City, then it's title over and probably 3rd place at best and 4th if we seriously implode.

It's like watching a second decade Wenger season and it may be unfair, but I've always had the feeling that Arteta is the new Wenger. He's certainly a disciple of his. I also can't shake the notion that he takes advice from him, but that's pure personal speculation. He does seem to share a stubbornness and a refusal to change what isn't working. For a start, Tomi should replace White at RB and he's blind to the crapness of Xhaka and the ineffectiveness of Nketiah.

Sadly, I can't see anything but a loss here. Firstly City will smell blood and secondly, I can't see where our goals will come from. Last couple of games it's been slow tip tapping the ball across the pitch and backwards, with a lack of high tempo and incision. I've also got a vision of Haaland chasing a through ball and our keeper haring out and fucking up.

0-3.

70/ 71
Lost at Huddersfield
Drew home to Crystal Palace
88/89
Lost home to Aston Villa
Drew at Luton
97/98
Lost at Sheff weds
Drew at spurs
01/02
Lost at home to charlton
Drew at home to Bolton

Ah, that’s ok then. Don’t know what what I was worrying about. Of course, you missed the 5-0 reverse away to Stoke in the 70/71 season.

Maybe I’m paranoid after our more recent collapses in 2008 and 2010. Maybe it’s a feeling I get after watching the last two performances and thinking a trend might be developing in our game. Maybe it’s the inevitable negative effect of Xhaka in the team, Eddie looking toothless and a goalkeeper that simply makes me nervous every time I watch him. Any team can lose a game, either because it just wasn’t their day, or because they put in a poor performance and I was prepared to consider that after the Everton loss. However, the performance against Brentford has worried me. As Augie said a few posts above, we could have easily been 0-2 down at half time.

Then again, maybe you’re right and we’ll storm to the title. I think we’ll know a lot more come close of play on Weds.

yes was stoke who beat us 5-0...apologies never look anything up

Beat them in the semi final of FA cup as well after being 2-0 down.....think thats why they have always hated us....that Double team did not know how to give up !

[OneBardGooner]

Potential champions don't lose away at Everton and draw at home to Brentford (regardless of VAR...which was a disgrace all the same). The wheels are wobbling and if we lose this against City, then it's title over and probably 3rd place at best and 4th if we seriously implode.

It's like watching a second decade Wenger season and it may be unfair, but I've always had the feeling that Arteta is the new Wenger. He's certainly a disciple of his. I also can't shake the notion that he takes advice from him, but that's pure personal speculation. He does seem to share a stubbornness and a refusal to change what isn't working. For a start, Tomi should replace White at RB and he's blind to the crapness of Xhaka and the ineffectiveness of Nketiah.

Sadly, I can't see anything but a loss here. Firstly City will smell blood and secondly, I can't see where our goals will come from. Last couple of games it's been slow tip tapping the ball across the pitch and backwards, with a lack of high tempo and incision. I've also got a vision of Haaland chasing a through ball and our keeper haring out and fucking up.

0-3.

70/ 71
Lost at Huddersfield
Drew home to Crystal Palace
88/89
Lost home to Aston Villa
Drew at Luton
97/98
Lost at Sheff weds
Drew at spurs
01/02
Lost at home to charlton
Drew at home to Bolton

BOOO YAAA!

[beck]

Lose this and I fully expect us to finish 3rd at best.

You fully expect us to get our lowest points total in the last 17 games since 94/95
No Charles dickens then

[beck]

Potential champions don't lose away at Everton and draw at home to Brentford (regardless of VAR...which was a disgrace all the same). The wheels are wobbling and if we lose this against City, then it's title over and probably 3rd place at best and 4th if we seriously implode.

It's like watching a second decade Wenger season and it may be unfair, but I've always had the feeling that Arteta is the new Wenger. He's certainly a disciple of his. I also can't shake the notion that he takes advice from him, but that's pure personal speculation. He does seem to share a stubbornness and a refusal to change what isn't working. For a start, Tomi should replace White at RB and he's blind to the crapness of Xhaka and the ineffectiveness of Nketiah.

Sadly, I can't see anything but a loss here. Firstly City will smell blood and secondly, I can't see where our goals will come from. Last couple of games it's been slow tip tapping the ball across the pitch and backwards, with a lack of high tempo and incision. I've also got a vision of Haaland chasing a through ball and our keeper haring out and fucking up.

0-3.

70/ 71
Lost at Huddersfield
Drew home to Crystal Palace
88/89
Lost home to Aston Villa
Drew at Luton
97/98
Lost at Sheff weds
Drew at spurs
01/02
Lost at home to charlton
Drew at home to Bolton

in 70/71 lost away at *derby (should be stoke) 5-0...then went on a long unbeaten run...that team won the double had some strong characters

Oh yes so it should
Said Huddersfield coz they finished below Stoke

[Stuart L (2)]

John Brooks has been replaced as the VAR operator for two Premier League games.

He made a mistake when he was in charge of VAR for Brighton's 1-1 draw at Crystal Palace on Saturday.

#BBCFootball

The above guy was supposed to be on VAR for this game,no mention of tht clown Lee Mason

Both poor errors, but I make Mason's worse. Brooks put the line in the wrong place, pretty inept, but not impossible to understand and genuine human error...albeit daft. Mason didn't even bother to take a look. That's not human error, it's negligence' or worse.

I would like to think that his punishment has yet to be announced as it’s a sacking

It was either gross incompetency / negligence or worse deliberate, which leans towards match fixing.

Either are worthy of sacking and being hung out to dry, particularly given he already has been stood down for previous errors

[OneBardGooner]

John Brooks has been replaced as the VAR operator for two Premier League games.

He made a mistake when he was in charge of VAR for Brighton's 1-1 draw at Crystal Palace on Saturday.

#BBCFootball

The above guy was supposed to be on VAR for this game,no mention of tht clown Lee Mason

Both poor errors, but I make Mason's worse. Brooks put the line in the wrong place, pretty inept, but not impossible to understand and genuine human error...albeit daft. Mason didn't even bother to take a look. That's not human error, it's negligence' or worse.

I would like to think that his punishment has yet to be announced as it’s a sacking

It was either gross incompetency / negligence or worse deliberate, which leans towards match fixing.

Either are worthy of sacking and being hung out to dry, particularly given he already has been stood down for previous errors

The ccun.t should be put in the stocks on Blackstock Road at our next Home Game!

[goonersid]

I can't believe the negativity, we have a chance to put ourselves in control of the title chase, we've had better title squads this who've had blips!
COYG!!!!!

[TeeCee]

We have the squad Sid........ But do we have the manager? Arteta has been great on the whole this season, but he's slipped into 'don't have a clue so I'll leave things as they are and hope for the best' mode recently. No plan B is a massive problem for us.

[SteveO 35]

I can't believe the negativity, we have a chance to put ourselves in control of the title chase, we've had better title squads this who've had blips!
COYG!!!!!

I cheered myself up on Sunday by watching the 88/89 season review. It was about this time of the season where our swashbuckling team lost at home to Forest, drew with Charlton etc and got 1 win in 5 games. That team also lost home and way to Derby, got knocked out of the FA Cup at home to West Ham, lost at home to Villa etc. The 1998 title winning team lost at home to Blackburn and were written off against a Man U side that were dominating. 2002 winning team also got dicked at home by Charlton.

I think the City game is exactly what we need. The last 2 games have been against teams that have had two banks of players lined up in front of their own goal, playing very direct breakaway football. City won't be like that and their defence is pap as well

I'm confident that this will be like the United game - open and free flowing and more suited to the way we play. No guarantees but I'm not doom and gloom just because we dropped points to Brentford (a team unbeaten in 10 and who have already won at City, stuffed Man Ure 4-0 etc)

[Clummo99]

I can't believe the negativity, we have a chance to put ourselves in control of the title chase, we've had better title squads this who've had blips!
COYG!!!!!

I cheered myself up on Sunday by watching the 88/89 season review. It was about this time of the season where our swashbuckling team lost at home to Forest, drew with Charlton etc and got 1 win in 5 games. That team also lost home and way to Derby, got knocked out of the FA Cup at home to West Ham, lost at home to Villa etc. The 1998 title winning team lost at home to Blackburn and were written off against a Man U side that were dominating. 2002 winning team also got dicked at home by Charlton.

I think the City game is exactly what we need. The last 2 games have been against teams that have had two banks of players lined up in front of their own goal, playing very direct breakaway football. City won't be like that and their defence is pap as well

I'm confident that this will be like the United game - open and free flowing and more suited to the way we play. No guarantees but I'm not doom and gloom just because we dropped points to Brentford (a team unbeaten in 10 and who have already won at City, stuffed Man Ure 4-0 etc)

Bloody hell Stevo, have they changed your medication? That's ultra positive for you!

Absolutely correct in your assessment though. Brentford are no mugs, a very good side set up well. Everton showed last night that the "new manager bounce" (hate that term ) does in fact exist.

I'm not saying we WILL win tomorrow, I'm saying that we absolutely could. We're out performing where we all thought we'd be this season and I'm enjoying the ride!

Some people bashing on about Chelsea, Liverpool, Newcastle and Man Utd will all be better next season so this is our only chance of grabbing the title. If they can/will improve then why can't we?

This season is possibly the foundation to go on and be just as good if not better than those teams and really be in the mix for titles in the coming years. Why not?

I'm no rose-tinter or AKB, I consider myself a pragmatist and a realist. Sometimes even a glass half full person if I get carried away

Let's all enjoy the ride of being back challenging, a place we all want to return to. We will drop more points this season for sure but so will the others. Jesus and ESR returning for the run in will no doubt be a big fillip. I'm still very optimistic.

Onward!! COYG

[Retro Gunner]

I can't believe the negativity, we have a chance to put ourselves in control of the title chase, we've had better title squads this who've had blips!
COYG!!!!!

I cheered myself up on Sunday by watching the 88/89 season review. It was about this time of the season where our swashbuckling team lost at home to Forest, drew with Charlton etc and got 1 win in 5 games. That team also lost home and way to Derby, got knocked out of the FA Cup at home to West Ham, lost at home to Villa etc. The 1998 title winning team lost at home to Blackburn and were written off against a Man U side that were dominating. 2002 winning team also got dicked at home by Charlton.

I think the City game is exactly what we need. The last 2 games have been against teams that have had two banks of players lined up in front of their own goal, playing very direct breakaway football. City won't be like that and their defence is pap as well

I'm confident that this will be like the United game - open and free flowing and more suited to the way we play. No guarantees but I'm not doom and gloom just because we dropped points to Brentford (a team unbeaten in 10 and who have already won at City, stuffed Man Ure 4-0 etc)

Bloody hell Stevo, have they changed your medication? That's ultra positive for you!

Absolutely correct in your assessment though. Brentford are no mugs, a very good side set up well. Everton showed last night that the "new manager bounce" (hate that term ) does in fact exist.

I'm not saying we WILL win tomorrow, I'm saying that we absolutely could. We're out performing where we all thought we'd be this season and I'm enjoying the ride!

Some people bashing on about Chelsea, Liverpool, Newcastle and Man Utd will all be better next season so this is our only chance of grabbing the title. If they can/will improve then why can't we?

This season is possibly the foundation to go on and be just as good if not better than those teams and really be in the mix for titles in the coming years. Why not?

I'm no rose-tinter or AKB, I consider myself a pragmatist and a realist. Sometimes even a glass half full person if I get carried away

Let's all enjoy the ride of being back challenging, a place we all want to return to. We will drop more points this season for sure but so will the others. Jesus and ESR returning for the run in will no doubt be a big fillip. I'm still very optimistic.

Onward!! COYG

I’m definitely one of the worst doom merchants on here, but that’s a fair post Clummo (and SteveO). I had a pop at Beck, because of his selective use of random stats, but did acknowledge that he had a fair point in questioning the negative assumptions after a couple of iffy performances.

As I said elsewhere, I don’t blame any of us for fearing the worst, especially after 15 years of false dawns and impotent collapses and I genuinely believe that if we lose tomorrow, then it’s game over for the title and that we’ll end up 3rd. However, I’m forcing myself to buy into the positive vibe for the next day and a half.

Only thing I’d question in your post is Everton’s new manager bounce. A new manager bounce doesn’t last for one game. They were awful last night, just as they’ve been all season. I just think that Dyche knew how to set them up against us and how to disrupt our game. I think we were hopeful that the soft underbelly we’d seen for years with Wenger at the helm, might have disappeared, but the Everton game was a throw back to the early 2,000s games against the likes of Alardyce’s Bolton. It’s given many of us more of a reason for concern than the Brentford game, because at least they’re a useful side.

Anyway, you’re right, keep the faith...at least until tomorrow night.

Up the Gunners