3Points Bagged & Bate Preview

IMAGE CREDIT: ARSENALDOTCOM

Hey Hey Hey ma good footie loving people, how’z it being?  Let’s digress, I wonder where fat Albert is at these days? The iconic pudgy character that helped push “Fubu” designs into mainstream urban/pop culture. Oh well, I guess he is eating a maxi burger somewhere out there.

Shappaly lets get back to football in Arsenal okay.  I said I expected a tough match before the gunners outing against the baggies and Tony Pulis’s wards didn’t disappoint. Sure we had quite a lot of possession but we were up against a well drilled side that did pose a few problems on the break. Mustafi had one of those game that made u kind of wonder when he might eventually get sent off and all that. Jay Rodriguez will probably be thinking if maybe he shoulda gone down for a sure penalty when his cut back dummy left Mustafi caught in a trailing slide tackle……very lucky for the gunners that was. That wasn’t all though, Rodriguez again had to watch in astonishment, like we all did too when Nacho Monreal made an almost impossible clearance of the line after he had Cech beat. That was “the moment” for the gunners and boy was it. It showed a carryover of the commitment we saw from the team against Chelsea…..Full of Heart!

Now all in all, Lacazette got his poachers goal after another controversial moment involving Sanchez. It was great awareness by the Frenchman in front of goal for the rebound. We need more of that. I do wonder what happened against Chelsea when he scooped it high in a similar situation. The gunners ended the 1^st half with their “noses” in front but you could tell it was a ding dong nerve affair. The second half saw the gunners take a more solid foothold in control, I guess Westbrom players had tired a bit and we had a bit more energy to impose on them. Ramseys forward role is something of a “hnmmmm, okay”. You can tell he relishes it very much cuz of the freedom it gives him, Ozil might be the casualty as it appears but time will tell. Kinda like a Zidane replacement with Nedved for Juventus back then. I think for that to work the gunners will need a midfield monster who will seat deep beside Xhaka and then Ramsey can go on doing those his bursting runs upfront. Someone like Kondogbia or Nzonzi would be very nice. These guys are under the radar, no hype, no frills, strong on the ball, good passing range and I am sure won’t cost us a Neymar or Coutinho fee but hey that’s just me thinking. Ramsey helped get the penalty and Alex buried it coolly no sweat two nil up to the Arsenal. We got the tough job done 3 points in the bag another clean sheet making it 3 in a row. I would take that over a cricket score line which makes for fun viewing if you are a neutral but points to leaky defending if you are a gunner and that’s not good. They say goals win you games but solid defending win you titles, the gunners need to drill that well into their psyche.

Job done, we are off to the Europa league (yeah ….spursday night football is back) get used it it. We travel to the Belarus to keep a date with Bate Borisov. I don’t know much but they are not entirely an unknown team, at least wenger thinks so as he said earlier:

“I’ve been in this country before, I came with the French national team,” the Arsenal manager said. “They played against Belarus in June when I was on holiday. They have always technically had very good sides, and overall I remember France had a very difficult game. We know [BATE’s strength], we watched them yesterday. They are a team with good quality, technically strong, so we will need a good performance to have a chance.”

On the young line up he chose to travel with he further explained

“I said on Monday night after the game that I would play an experienced team with a young bench, and that is what I did,” he said. “We have a very tight schedule and it is an important game, and that’s why there is only one or two young players who will start the game.”

      I am sure the coach is trying to keep his main squad as fresh as he can but I hope the inexperience doesn’t cost us away. The disciplined display we are beginning to see will have to be followed to the letter here, get a result that’s the idea. A win would be very good if we can manage to keep it tight at the back and then nick one or two on the counter but it’s important we keep the momentum going of getting results especially away and then coming home to slay wins. Hnmmmm, how ideal such a grandiose thinking sounds, but we all know with Arsenal Fc, anything is possible. Whatever happens to whatever team we put out there, I hope it’s a positive result for the gunners in Minsk. Anyway that’s about it from us, shout out to Gareth Barry for his record setting Premier League appearances. We here he is a professional through and through. We also like to remember a former Gunner from these parts, Alexander Hleb. Such a good football player with mad ball skills but he left to Barcelona and it never really worked out for him from there on, liked him though. That’s it from us for now, dont forget to follow us on FB here or subscribe to our posts up there. Do enjoy the game wherever you are……..Ciaoooo 

Scrappy Points & Baggies Preview

Image Credits: Arsenaldotcom

Ok so that was not so cool for Mr President!! Not for the first time though taking to twitter for a comeback but ..........he never expected the NFL teams to come together. Such a manner of defiance as regards criticism towards any player "taking the knee", ala such a player being fired for disrespecting the honor of the stripes n stars. Well that shows what can be achieved when people put aside their differences and come together to fight against perceived injustice. Over to us in Naija Anyway, this isn’t America and definitely not blogging about "American football". Nope but score one for Colin Kaepernick!!

That my people brings me to things football, and of course Arsenal. What a performance that was, like a wakeup call making you wonder where that came from. let’s just assume before the game against Chelsea, I was offered a point from Stamford bridge visit I a sure most fans would have jumped at the offer without thinking about it. That was how low the expectations were going into the game. Chelsea started well for about ten minutes but Arsenal contained them as played with passion, grit and loads of determination not to give in. Chelsea definitely couldn’t cope and was epitomized not just by the eventual red card for David Luis but also the frustrated Alvaro Morata, granted Mustafi was a bit luck too, but for once we were thoroughly focused and disciplined in our approach throughout the 90 minutes. That’s not to say there were no negatives albeit it would be nitpicking to complain about not getting 3points when we would have gladly taken a point before the Kickoff, I think we deserved to win on the balance of everything. Welbeck’s injury was another sour point, that guy just can’t seem to get a break can he?? Oh well, let’s hope he recovers soon enough for his own good. The other thing that was good about this game was the togetherness shown in the dogged determination, Kudos to the wing backs especially. Bellerin gave Alonso so much to think about while Kolasinac held his own as expected against Moses and Willian. Wenger having the cajones to bench Sanchez from the start while giving Iwobi the nod. I won’t go as far as those fans on social media calling for the Chileans head for his perceived lack of commitment to the club but Arsene needs his boiz to step up if not they are gonna be on the bench. All in all, this team needs to learn the need for consistency. They have it in them to fight like it matters, they need to do this week in week out…….Can they??

Which brings us to our Monday night game with Westbrom, I would like to see a repeat of the commitment we saw at Chelsea, only this time lets top it off with the right end product by actually scoring goals and keeping another clean sheet to make it 3 in a row, counting the midweek win over Rovers. When was the last time Arsenal did that, 3 clean sheets in a row huh?? Yeah, me too I can’t remember. Tony Pulis knows how to set up a team to keep their shape and have lost just a game in5 so far. On the other hand,  Arsenal at home can take confidence from the Chelsea performance into this match. The team selection is a dicey one, does Arsene bring back Özil and Sanchez to the starting lineup or do we go with the hardwork ethic that saw us scrap to a point at the bridge? I would like to see a fired up Özil, forge the rumors about him Joining Mou at Man united, forget the slamming he consistently receives from fans and pundits alike, he is class any day. I would expect him to be charged up for this considering what’s happened In the last two weeks with Wenger showing him and Sanchez the bench for key games, so let’s hope I am right. My team selection will look like

Sub: Ospina, Walcott,  Elneny, Holding, Mertesacker, Giroud, Iwobi,  Wilshere

Image Cedits: The Uk Guardian

I expect a tough game against the baggies but a win none the less please. While I know this team isn’t likely to win the league, dropping anymore points now especially after all the top clubs won over the weekend will be disastrous. Arsenal need to keep their discipline, stay compact and take their chances when they come. A win is very very important. That’s it from us, do enjoy the game wherever you are…….Ciaooo