2Face Arsenal, European Football Thots & Liverpool Preview

Times like this make you realize how tough it can be as a fan to write. Yeah football is back and Arsenal “2 face” Fc is back along with their best and their worst. We all knew the Britannia stadium visit wasn’t gonna be easy especially considering our poor record there in the past, still one can be blamed for hoping and wishing….this might be the season. Naah!! 3 whole points dropped, a defence in disarray and a team with gaping holes, we back to anfield hoping Klopp’s pressing fire can be snuffed by Wenger’s seeming tactical calm. Let us put those thoughts about Sunday’s matchup on hold and talk about the European football draws a bit.

Image credit: Arsenaldotcom

Yeah as much as we hate to talk about it, the UEFA champions League and Europa League draws did take place in the last 24-36 hours and reality has hit home. Arsenal will play in the latter not the former, how the mighty have fallen? Arsenal will be playing ground hog football in Europe on spursday I mean Thursday with less fancied playmates. You know what that comes with…. playing a lot of EPL Sunday. I know the feeling and it’s hard to take, no more Champions league nights, at least till 2018. Besides the obvious loss of revenue (as an arsenal fan, economics isn’t mutually exclusive) the brand has taken a big hit. For those who don’t know by now, the group pairings for are presented for us.

Champions League

Grp A: Benfica (POR), Manchester United (ENG), Basel (SUI), CSKA (RUS)   

Grp B: FC Bayern (GER), PSG (FRA), Anderlecht (BEL), Celtic(SCO)  

Grp C: Chelsea (ENG), Atlético Madrid (ESP), Roma (ITA), Qarabağ (AZE)

Grp D: Juventus (ITA), Barcelona (ESP), Olympiacos (GRE), Sporting CP(POR)

Grp E: Spartak Moskva (RUS), Sevilla (ESP), Liverpool (ENG), Maribor (SVN)

Grp F: Shakhtar  (UKR), Man City (ENG), Napoli (ITA), Feyenoord(NED)

Grp G: Monaco (FRA), Porto (POR), Beşiktaş (TUR), RB Leipzig (GER)

Grp H: R. Madrid (ESP), B.Dortmund(GER), Tottenham (ENG), APOEL(CYP)

I can already pick the round of 16 qualifiers, with quite a number of new comers to this banquet of Europe’s elite, the tournament looks just a bit weak. The new comers in Leipzig, Maribor and Quarabag if my memory serves me right. An opportunity for them to punch above their weight and surprise a few of us, will they? I guess time will tell. Arsenal hasn’t exactly lit up the tournament in the last seven years, with the annual bow out in the round of 16, maybe Europa league is where we belong….or maybe, just maybe Wenger isn’t the one to lead the gunners in that stepup into the club of Europe’s true elite, who knows?

Europa League

Grp A: Villarreal (ESP), M.Tel-Aviv (ISR), Astana (KAZ), S. Praha (CZE)

Grp B: D. Kyiv (UKR), Young Boys (SUI), Partizan (SRB), Skënderbeu (ALB)

Grp C: Braga (POR), L.Razgrad(BUL), Hoffenheim(GER), I.Başakşehir (TUR)

Grp D: AC Milan (ITA), Austria Wien (AUT), Rijeka (CRO), AEK Athens (GRE)

Grp E: Lyon (FRA), Everton (ENG), Atalanta (ITA), Apollon Limassol (CYP)

Grp F: København (DEN), Lokomotiv Moskva(RUS), Sheriff (MDA), Zlín(CZE)

Grp G: Viktoria Plzeň (CZE), FCSB (ROU), H.B-Sheva (ISR), Lugano (SUI)

Grp H: Arsenal (ENG), BATE Borisov (BLR), Köln (GER), Crvena zvezda (SRB)

Grp I: Salzburg (AUT), Marseille (FRA), Vitória SC (POR), Konyaspor (TUR)

Grp J: Athletic Club (ESP), Hertha Berlin(GER), Zorya(UKR), Östersund(SWE)

Grp K: Lazio (ITA), Nice (FRA), Zulte Waregem (BEL), Vitesse (NED)

Grp L: Zenit (RUS), Real Sociedad (ESP), Rosenborg (NOR), Vardar (MKD

Being the top seed in the tournament, one can’t help but feel the need to set a high bar. Winning the tournament will be good, while it’s not the “BIG ears” we all wish to win, it should help assuage the fans animosity while also banishing a few of Wenger’s demons in terms of failure thus far in Europe, two finals and two losses isn’t pretty. The added automatic Champion’s league qualification that comes with it is a welcome bonus not the chum change in prize money. How Wenger and the team will plot their way through the minefield of games to the final and get that trophy into the Emirates, is up to him. He is the manager so he would have to figure that tough one out correctly cuz he bought the pressure for himself by last season’s failings. Don’t quote me.

Back to the EPL, Sunday games have started and we gonna have to get used to it as the gunners visit the mugmashers at Anfield. After just two games, 1W 1L, gaping holes in the squad, its glaring this team is still not prepared for the season and “Arsenal in crisis” wind is beginning to pick up. The manner in which we failed to salvage anything from a game where we were dominant in terms of chances created and shots on target while making a solid goal keeper in Butland look world class is just a shot of Déjà vu. You could argue about the legit goal from Lacazette which should have stood, but that’s besides the point which for me says this team hasn’t still learnt its lessons from past experiences. Eventually conceding a soft goal from sloppy play …..again! I won’t wanna dwell too much on spilt milk but I hope the team realizes that already, the Liverpool game is now a must win or at the very worst, a must not lose or else the pitchforks, brooms and axes will be out. We just cant afford anymore slips in the EPL going into the international break. No sloppy play in midfield from Xhaka and Ramsey, Özil needs to assert his skill and dictate play.

Wenger must play his best players in their best positions. Bellerin or Ox on the right wing instead of the mix and match we saw away at Stoke. Good enough Koscielny is back from his match ban so we can have a more sold back line. Up front, Lacazette seems to be settling in well but his support cast must be more clinical, maybe Walcott should come in ahead of Welbz, Walcott is a better finisher and has a better return against Liverpool. I doubt if Alexis can start immediately, a cameo appearance from the bench is more likely.  All that being said, Liverpool isn’t without problems of their own. While their formidable ghengen press is one to be wary off, their defending is equally as atrocious if not worse than ours. Add the fact that Coutinho isn’t exactly in the game psychologically. We have a slight upper hand.        While Mane, Firmino and Origi remain a threat, the absence of Lallana, Coutinho and a dodgy their backline as an achilles heel they haven’t addressed properly, they are beatable. Its up to Wenger to deploy his Arsenal properly with strict instructions while the gunners take their chances when Liverpool present them. A win going into the international break will be very much welcome as is even much more needed. I don’t even want to think of a loss, please.

       To contract rebels in the Ox Özil and Sanchez, we still have a bit of dark cloud of surrounding the team which shows how much we still makes the same mistakes season after season. Rumour has it that we might be selling Ox soon and Mustafi, this late in the transfer window…..i can’t laugh if that’s true. If we are serious about winning anything tangible this season, the gunners need to quickly make up their mind by trimming off the deadwood and get in their replacements starting like yesterday. Arsene should stop kidding himself cuz this squad is still short simple!! That’s it from us, please drop us a feedback in the comments and like our FB page here. Enjoy the game wherever you are….Ciaoo

Wobbly Start But 3 Points In & Stoke Preview

Happy Birthday Igweee the 14th
Image Credits: Arsenal.com

Aahhahh!!! Football is back, and we want to start off by wishing one of Arsenal's finest a Happy 40th Birthday Celebration. King Henry, the Va Va Va Voom of the Arsenal FC, 228 goals for the club making him the all time highest scorer....Iiiggweee!

What an opening weekend of matches we had and as always Arsenal was part of what made it a spectacle…..well depending on what team you trump for. The gunners didn’t disappoint in their opening day encounter with the Foxes from the city of Leicester, delivering a performance that had the excitingly annoying mix of the good, the bad, and the very ugly to watch. A seven goal thriller as a season curtain raiser is always going to be a joy to any neutral but to a team that ends up with zero points despite scoring three goals In such a match…..needless to say. Let quickly run through some of the positives from the game.

The Good.

Three points is always a welcome haul from any league match and this one isn’t different, the boiz went out wobbled and stumbled to them like two left Danny Welbz legs trying out for a ballet role in a Hollywood movie. Considering the fact that the gunners have won just one of their opening fixtures in the past six seasons makes this even more of a pleasant surprise so I will take it with joy. Lacazette had a dream league debut with a goal, plus the manner in which the team fought back for the win does tick the box for me the most. First it was leveling it at 2-2 just on the stroke of half time, then after we kept plugging away at 3-2 down with less than 15 minutes to go, reminiscent of a seemingly developing habit of fighting back. Two fabulous goals from two spot-on substitutes by Wenger and the tide was turned for the team. The cherry on the cake will be doing this without the distraction of Sanchez and a terrible makeshift back line of 3 wing backs and a midfielder. Now that’s something like a silver lining to cheer.....…init?

The Bad

It won’t be arsenal if we didn’t get some hairy nail-biting edge of ya seat moments will it? I guess it won’t, in my review of the community shield game, I said both teams (Arsenal and Chelsea) didn’t look ready for the season and their respective opening day performances buttressed that conclusion. The gunners true to character, delivered some horrendous defending I wish I could reach out from the perch of my seat and scream someone’s head off. First of all the whole team was without harmony and how in the world did Xhaka have such an awful day at the office? That’s especially after his stellar performance against Chelsea in the community shield. He was just a liability, he allowed Okazaki to win a header over him for Leicester’s first goal, he gave away possession cheaply in a dangerous area that lead to the second goal and he lost Vardy for their third goal. An absolute shambolic out of sorts’ cacophony of defending. I mean, after Lacazette put the team ahead in less than two minutes, you would be forgiven to think the gunners were gonna come out all gunz   cannons blazing ready to run riot on Leicester. Kudos to Leicester though, the gunners gave them a look-in and the Foxes took the game to their opponents. The right side of the team was weak, with Özil Bellerin and Holding. The Foxes smelt it and they duly attacked from there. If you ask me, I would say the gunners were lucky to snatch three points

The Ugly

All that negative being said above, we won and we had to scrap for those precious three points. If there is anything this team is showing in recent times, it’s the ability to fight back, it’s not always pretty but it’s nice to get the feeling that the boiz are up for a scrap. That boy Kolasinac is showing how to do an ugly job and I am loving it. He was ball watching for Vardy’s second goal but all through the game he was bulldozing the team forward. He crowned his performance with a peach of an assist to Welbz, plus his goal and assist in the community shield, you will agree with me he just might be the bargain find of this season. On an even uglier note, Wenger has come out to say Lucas Perez can leave the club which is a shame cuz I think he is very capable of hitting double figures in goals & assists but hey i ain't Wenger.

The Arsenal train chugs down to pay the potters a visit. Playing Stoke at the Bet 365 stadium has never been a cake walk so I am not expecting an easy match, however I expect the team knows the importance of bagging another the points in order to keep building the momentum. The gunners have just a win in six visits to Stoke and that’s not good. Stoke lost their opening day fixture at Goodison park so I would be wary of them rallying for a response. Shaqiri Allen Crouch and Fletcher could be tricky customers on their day and I wouldn’t want us to underestimate them. None of that lazy rag tag defending we saw against Leicester else Crouch will be smacking his lips at the prospect high going against them. Our Team news is much better than it was a couple weeks ago, Mustafi Coq & Merts are available for selection if Wenger feels like reigning Holding in, he had one of his less than impressive games against Leicester. Anyway let’s hope we can get a couple over them potters in their backyard. My expected line up still has Giroud coming off the bench, Welbeck and Lacazette get the nod ahead of him. My team sheet looks like:   Subs: Ospina, Giroud, Walcott, Coquelin, Elneny, Kolasinac, Niles, Iwobi.  

   

 I expect a tough game with the odds against us but i think that line-up should be able to handle what the potters bring on so lets hope i am right. That's it from us here, please remember to give us your feedback and like our Facebook page here. Enjoy the game wherever you are......Ciaooo

2017-18 Kick-Off & Transfer Rumblings

Image Credit: Versus.co.uk

Its been a dazed two weeks for the “record” as we have been stunned speechless. I am just about finding my tongue in all this crazy, mind boggling, eye popping world of transfer. Just in case you’re wondering whats got me all tongue tied, it’s not the the fact that white house circus continues from one ill advised comment to the other, or that Buhari is really testing the patience of many Nigerians with his neither here nor there presidency. It’s the Neymar transfer for heaven’s sake, £198 Milliioooon!!! Football has gone bonkers on another level if you ask me, Mouhrinho being right about the “bargain” tag he called Pogba when Man United made him the world’s most expensive player last season is a lot to stomach but hey he is right on the Money!! Wenger might as well just admit what we all knew before, FIFA & UEFA with their FFP rules are just crapped out bollocks to say it nicely without cussing. Barca crying foul to the Spanish FA is just pure hypocrisy after creating football's largest buyout clauses with one hand while collecting 198 million pounds in the other. Football has become a financial monster of a juggernaut and we (U and me) are all responsible for creating the beast, oooh the footballing gods, how did we get here? Look in the mirror my peoples……..that's how.

Enough with the whining, back to things Arsenal eeeiih. The gunners managed to best Chelsea to another tinware at wembley. While I wouldn’t be excited over that win. It’s good for the confidence of the boiz going into the season and Conte must really be livid with his charges. Not like I am any concerned about that, its th gunners that’s my own source of worry.  Our 2017/18 season kicks off in a hours to a day and I can say from the Chelsea and Sevilla matches, Arsenal isn’t prepared for the campaign (yeah neither is Chelsea) but that’s not my problem. The Team still has obvious holes to fill in midfield and attack, contractual distractions should have been sorted out and deadwood U, me and ma dog (I don’t have one) know about should have long been shipped out with replacements brought in.  That’s what change was promised at the end of last season’s fiasco, but as we all probably feared with things on Arsenal Transfer, we are the so measured out of the blocks in doing the needful, always seem to be settling for the baseline minimum for the team. I don’t mean to be a nitpick here, I mean Kolasinac looks like he will be a Holdinesque bargain pick while Lacazzete is showing signs of good things to come, which can only be good for Arsenal hopefull (touch wood).

Image credits: Skysports Online

My question in an honest assessment is “Are those two adequate to plug the holes in the squad?” We all know the answer to that question and that’s what gives me worry. Arsenal again is playing catch up even before the season begins and I can’t understand why?  Let’s look across the road to see the competition. The mancunians are still strengthening their squads while we are dawdling as usual, I really don’t know what’s up with Spurs n Pool though and I don’t care. If we intend to navigate this season with the extra strain of the Europa league (bad taste) then Wenger and the board had better wake up to their duties because, this season is gonna make or break a legacy for someone in Arsenal and for his sake I hope Arsene realizes it.

Leicester City come to town on Friday in the EPL proper, so it time to dust out our cable subscriptions ready for another season of footie fest. Leicester have a lot to prove after last season’s failings. Not like we expected them to attain 2015/16 season’s height or anything but I am sure the taste for success in the league and champion’s league would be something they will be looking to aspire towards. Their Asia tour during preseason wasn’t stellar, Iheanacho joining the Foxes them from Man City makes them potent, even though Rhiyad Mahrez is still itching for a move away. Now whether they are more prepared than the gunners will be seen on Friday and I hope we don’t underestimate them. Another concern for me is Arsenals recent opening day form, which has seen us loose in the last 3 season’s……not the best of comforts, I know.  On who plays for the gunners, there are plenty uncertainties according to Wenger:

 “I have players coming back who have not played, like Mustafi. Alexis will not be available for example, so I cannot go into the game with too many uncertainties. I can take a gamble on one, maybe maximum two, but I focus more on the players who had the right number of competitive minutes in recent weeks. We are well prepared and ready for a fight, and of course ambitious as well".                                   There you go, 90+ minutes will tell us on how well prepared or ambitious the gunners are. That’s it from us, do enjoy the game wherever you may be and dont forget to like our facebook page here ..........Ciaoooo

Season Review III & 2017 Emirates Cup

So whats up ma footie people in football, can you smell it? Oooo sure you can, its football in the air, plus silly money in transfer fees stinking up the beautiful game too. With the “economic tour” of China and Australia done and dusted. Chelsea giving the young guns a revenge lesson while at it, the Arsenal train comes home to roost with the Emirates cup at the fore. We all know going to the far east is for promoting “The Arsenal Brand” while showcasing a few young gunners (if any) and seeing where we go. The sterner test comes just before the community shield in the Emirates cup. That’s not to say the tourney is a great indicator of how well prepared we are for the season, NO! More often than not Arsenal is never wrapped up with its transfer biz by then, this season is no different. Even ma lil daughter knows the squad is lacking but Arsenal will dilly and dally till we never address the gaping holes in the team, very reactive…..never proactive.

The transfer news is awash with Thomas this and Lamar that, but not much is happening except the same old same just change the days. Yeah we have Lacazette down with the dreaded ‘#9’ squad number but its looking like more outs than ins for the gunners. A Sanchez dark cloud is still hanging (will he go, will he not). Add a sure Perez(which I don’t understand why) cuz he is good. A Gibbs, a Jenks and maybe Jack and the Ox more to go …..Yeah, that’s Arsenal, still, let’s pause with the rant and continue the 2016/17 end of season critique shall we??  

##The Midfield

A look at Arsenal's Midfield options at the start of last season showed the gunners to be well stocked, so much that Jack had to go out on loan. We had Neny, Santi, Ramsey, Le Coq, Xhaka, Oxlade and of course Ozil vying for just 3 slots when all fit so it made sense for Jack to go play elsewhere if he could manage to stay fit. Looking at those names, no one could argue against the power and poise present. Ozil Chamberlain Carzola for nifty craft while Xhaka Neny and Le Coq for grit and graft. Arsenals midfield never really bossed it like we expected. Xchaka brought his long range of passing which was good but he also came with his knack for picking up silly fouls and ultimately red cards. Santi much to my chagrin was over played (Like wenger did jack) till his ankles let go and our season went up in puff. That for me was the beginning of our end last season, Santi is one magician who connects the dots between the midfield and attack like no other, retaining possession in tight spaces while finding the “spring pass”. He was definitely missed end of story. Ozil on the other hand was a mixed bag, lots of creativity but lacking that killa instinct to pull a team over the line. He did have his best ever goals returns in club football thus far. Double digits in goals and assists, 13 each something he rarely achieves in goals, assists definitely yes.

 Despite his assists numbers taking a dive compared to last season, he was still more productive last season than any other. His numbers show he contributed to 26 goals as compared to 25 the season before. It seems my focus is on him cuz he is such a player that polarizes the fan base and I happen to be a fan of his, like him or hate him. His numbers are improving, sure he disappears in big games sometime but he also scores in big games, Chelsea Man U Liverpool Spurs, and Mancity He has scored against them or assisted against them all so whats the biggie. He does need to show a bit more aggression in his game, like when he chased and tackled Hazard in the FA cup final last season ….that was epic. A one off though, in all honesty we won’t be seeing him do many of such but he can do more to influence BIG games, I definitely agree with that. That said, with Lacazette on board now and hopefully a fitter Welbeck this season, Just maybe he can have a more influential season goals and assists wise.

Now lets get back to the Emirates Cup, we shouldn’t read much into these games (Sanogo anyone) just make sure the squad gets sharper in terms of fitness levels, with no injuries and we good. I would be looking at Maitiland Niles as a potential step up, whether he is ready or not is another question, I guess time will tell. Anyway, Arsenal take on Benfica in a early evening kickoff Saturday, while Sevilla do bizness against last season’s Bundesliga surprise package RB Leipzig. Our Team News shows a mix of experience and a sprinkling of youth here and there Cohen, Wilcock, Neilson and Niles all getting a look in so lets see how they fare ….again touch wood.  Anyway that’s it from us here, do enjoy the games wherever you may be…Ciaoooo.

Early Season Review Part II

Image Source: Arsenal Dotcom

Eid Mubarak greetings to all our Muslim friends out there, we come in peace and love. So where do we start,  i mean there's so much to talk on especially with what’s being going on in the world of football? Aaaah yeah there’s the confederations cup still on going, with the semis slated for 29^th and the 30^th of June. A consolation of sort for club football enthusiasts like you and me but hey,. For what it’s worth,  its better than nada so i will take that…….Go Chile….Go Chile!!

Aiite enough of that, let’s get back to things Arsenal and continue with our 2017/2017 season review. We would take a critiquing critical look at our back five.

The Defence

         We all know that attack is the best form of defence Arsene Wenger likes to bang on the mantra about how we like to play fluid attacking football, very pretty on the eye with its expansive play. The good thing about that is yes, you deny the opponent the ball and limit their chances (Barcelona under Pep) right? I wish that was the case at Arsenal right now, cuz its not, we barely excited with pretty football and the gunners shipped in more goals last season that the previous season. This being the case after buying Mustafi and Holding, the former while an experienced international, has not exactly plugged the leaks. The latter on the other hand has been quite a revelation ……at a snippet too. Having said that, let’s start from the keeper Cech, it’s obvious he isn’t as stellar as he used to be back in Chelsea but he still is an upgrade over all our other keepers so moving on. It’s very obvious to everyone (including Wenger I hope) that you can’t win the EPL with a defence that ships in over forty goals a season. Naaah can’t work! If you ask me, our individual defenders are good. Bellerin is besides a few bogey games (crystal palace away), is developing into a world beater of a wing back, Monreal is still one of the most consistent left backs in the league, Koscielny I dare say is a world class center back even at over 30 years of age. Jury is still out on Mustafi but his debut season with us looks promising if not outstanding. 

          Now having said these, how come Arsenal is still conceding goals hopelessly? Simple.. our collective defending as a unit.  Look at Chelsea and Tottenham especially, as much as it goads me to say this, Spurs had the best goal difference(60) , scored the highest number of goals (86) and conceded the least number last season (26), did I hear you ask so why didn’t they win the league (pun intended)? Well I don’t know why, and frankly I really don’t care if they didn’t. Arsenal on the other were hand were 5^th on goal difference (33), 4^th on goals scored (77) and a distant 6^th on goals conceded (44) We definitely could borrow a leaf from either of Spurs book cuz they understand what It means to defend as a Unit way way better than the gunners despite the fact that we have better individuals. If I was Arsene, I would be looking at those numbers above and get Steve Bould to come up with a better plan. Conceding 44 goals in a season is just not good enough for a club of Arsenals stature, more indicting is matching the numbers side by side Spurs’s…..its DAMNING ARSENE, & that’s me putting it nicely. Whatever it is, just fix it.

On the transfers’ front, it’s the usual circus of speculations and half-truths just to get us to click links and buy their papers aye. Today its Mbape tomorrow its Lemar or Lacazette well my advice people, just remember Arsenal doesn’t conduct its transfers in the open so I take all these links/speculations with a pinch of salt. It would be nice to have Mbape though, to think we could have snapped him up last season for chum change. Anyway I don’t see Arsene spending all that money to get Mbape so let’s move on, Lacazette is looking more likely if you ask me and maybe one of Mahrez or Lemar. Then it’s on to the OUTs, Oxlade, Giroud, Walcott and Alexis, they won’t all go but I fear we would lose at least two of those players, note I said at least two. Quite frankly I wont mind losing Giroud as he is 30+ and not quite the consistent, i repeat the word consistent goal machine we desire. As long as we are getting a younger proven goal scorer like Lacazette albeit untested in the EPL. Alexis sale is a no no except its Aguero from city plus cash….Yes, plus CA$$H! Here is why, Aguero is good I mean really EPL proven gooood, but he is 29 and very injury prone, he also isn’t a harrier like Sanchez, plus whats the wage bill on MR Kun?? That’s why I need the cash. Oxlade I will keep and let Walcott go, the money could be used to get a Mahrez who has way more potential if you ask me. 

 Whatever we are doing I hope Arsene doesn’t dally as he is known to, get your team settled before the league kicks off instead of playing catch up again. I guess time will tell, for now let’s just enjoy the media circus of silly season as they regenerate same stories from the same old sources and quotes. Do enjoy the Confed cup games wherever you are….Ciaoo!

Early Season Review Part 1

Image Coutesy: Getty Images

        So there you go, the European football season of 2016-2017 finally concluded with Real emerging as worthy conquerors of Europe after they beat Juve to the trophy rather disappointingly to me I must say. I expected a whole lot more from the old lady of Turin, but hey as a neutral, I really can’t complain right so congrats to Zidane & his charges especially CR7, you are very much worthy champions. Take a bow please...

Back to Arsenal and I will start this by saying no surprises seeing Arsene Wenger pen a new two year deal worth a whooping 16Million in queen’s quid.  Well after the FA cup win what were we expecting, we wish init. The Arsenal management needed an okay excuse to stick with le’boss….they got a good one. This quotes from Ramsey after Arsenal’s lets us in on whats expected

 “It’s been an up-and-down season, but to finish it with an FA Cup has to make it a successful one. I just love this competition. The boys deserve it, and I’m happy for the manger, I’m delighted. He’s been fantastic for me, fantastic for these players. Fair play to him, he’s changed the system and it’s paid off. So hopefully he’ll be here next season, because we owe him a lot.”

That’s saying a lot but I don’t agree on the “successful one” part. if you ask me. So now that the fan fare is all over, Arsene has peened a new 2year deal whether or not we think it’s the right decision by the board, what next? We all know this season was barely salvaged from the decimation of DISASTER by our FA cup Triumph, still there are many reasons to feel very disappointed considering the size of the club in terms of financial as well as player resources. Lets look at those low lights of the 2016-17 season past.

To start with, we finished a terrible 5^th on the EPL log while yet again ending the season double digits behind the league winners, a whopping 18 points off of the Top, 7 points worse than 2015-16 season. The gunners also finished below Tottenham for the first time since Wenger ascended the mantle as head coach, last season’s miraculous 2^nd place finish due to Spurs last minute capitulation should have been the wake up had Arsenal being paying attention, instead the Arsenal management did an ostrich by ignoring the “signs”. That wasn’t all, most teams around the top 6 beefed up their squads quite early ahead of the season, Arsenal chose to dither as always on transfers, got beat in the first game of the season, thus began playing catchup right from the get go. Arsenal conceded 41 goals in the league this season as against 36 last year and 32 goals the year before…….Progress? I think not. Then there is whats seems to have become an annual ritual of the round of 16 champions league exit for the 7^th successive season. Bayern really taking us to the cleaners with that 10-2 aggregate scarring ……Mein Gott!! There is some sort of consolation in the fact that this coming season will be different since Arsenal did not make the cut. I am not trying to be cynical r sarcastic, just saying there is no point qualifying for Europe’s elite club completion only to bow out at the first knock out hurdle. Let’s take a chill pill and learn the right lessons even if “SpursThursday night football” hurts our gooner pride, hopefully it’s going to be the spur we need however ironic that may sound. I will say that captures the main lows for me this season. Next post will look at dissecting the team from goal keeping to the attack as well as checking out whats buzzing in the rumour mill, so keep a date.......……Ciaooo

A Wembley Redemption 2.1

Image Credit: Bellanaija

       Wheeeeeeeeww, what a way to salvage something from a hitherto disappointing season!!! This is a moment to savour, every bit of that joyous tingle to the very last bit of it cuz after this, you are only as good as your last win. One has to give credit where due, the boys came to the party and were duly rewarded even if we know the FA cup is more about show compared to the league. Winning a trophy in a much underwhelming season is always most very welcome. Arsene Wenger,  Arsenal Team and the Board get a free pass today, no hating or bickering, no protests or social media tirades, let just bask in the glory of this record setting FA Cup win, Arsene's 7^th Arsenals 13^th  be it the manager, the team, or the Fans.

            It was a game of the season performance, the boys were up for the fight, despite the number of setbacks the team had to overcome going into this game, they all dug their heels in and gave it their best. Arsene had some big calls to make and they paid off. Mertersacker was handed his first start in a 3 man backline in the last game of the season. Ospina was picked ahead of Petr Cech in goal and Oxlade chamberlain just back from injury, was going to play as a left wing back instead of the usual right wing he has come to favor in recent weeks Welbeck also started ahead of Giroud as the lead striker. I must say here that every single one of these calls, Arsene Wenger got absolutely right. From the blast of the whistle, Arsenal set about the business of the day with probing passes and slick movement of the ball with Chelsea scurrying after them. The early goal came, and while it was a much debatable as it was a fortuitous one, since Alexis had earlier chested the clearance from Chelsea with the help of his hand, it was very deserved cuz the gunners were the better team for most of the game. Gone was the focused and organized Chelsea, Arsenal were up for the scrap, winning almost all the 50-50 challenges and recycling play forward. Maybe the blues were feeling a little bit of celebratory blues I really can’t say, but this wasn’t the Champions we had seen all season in the league. They were leggy, static and just not allowed in the game. Imagine the sight of Ozil chasing down Hazard and getting in his slide tackle that summed up the hunger they had for this trophy and that was the Arsenal we saw today.

Of course it won’t be Arsenal without a few nervy moments, and they were few scares from Chelsea. Costa did level scores in the second half although Ospina should have done better, but he more than made up for it with some vital saves at 1-0 and 2-1.  On the balance of the whole play, the better team won without any doubt. I think whats surprising for me was Chelsea’s performance or was it Arsenals dominance? The other question would be …why did we leave it so late when we could have churned in such 5star performances week in week out in the league? I guess we would never know. I am sure that beyond the win, the focus will be on the possible exits from the club. Arsene, Ospina Sanchez, Ozil, Oxlade. Maybe now might be a good time for Arsene Wenger to bow out, on some sort of high? I think that would be more befitting for his work at the club especially in his first 10years. Anyway, all that is going to be unraveled as gist for another day. Shout out to Per Mertersacker for his sublime performance, he was most impressive to me….word to Welbeck Oxlade Ozil and Xhaka not forgetting Giroud for that assist. I guess that well and truly closes the 2016/17 footballing season inspite of how we performed, it’s been one to cherish and I hope we are going to make amends next season. For now though, lets enjoy the glorious occasion of being the 2017 EMIRATES FA CUP WINNER……............Cheers!! 

Image Credit: The Uk Guardian Online.

Curtains Call On a Season of IFs

Image Credits: Arsenal.com

Ho ho ho, it’s the last game of whats been a rollercoaster season from a Chelsea fans perspective, Conte really showed the others (gat ma eyez on U Arsene) who is BOSS. For us gunners, well its being a disappointment let’s call a spade a hecking spade, no offence to Wenger apologists. Speaking of Apologists, we at anaijagunner do apologies for going AWOL on our readers. We welcomed the arrival of a “goonerette” yeah our founder just had a baby girl. So as you may have guessed right as every other thing including writing about Arsenal had to take a back seat, trust me when I say, it has been another learning curve of responsibility….hats off to our mothers and wives who make responsible child caring look easy. I am still trying to make up for lost sleep. And that’s saying a lot for someone who people sometimes call an insomniac.

Anyway it’s the final weekend of the EPL season as we all know. One which has had it all, highs lows and everything else in between…right? Ok, maybe more lows than highs and then everything else in between, from an Arsenal fans perspective. For the first time Wenger’s holy grail of a champion’s league qualification and finishing above the Spuds down the road at seven sisters is looking like history (the latter definitely is). Yeah there is a slightly off chance we may finish fourth, but let’s keep our feet on the ground as this is absolutely out of Arsene’s or Arsenals hands. I fear this time the team has left it just a little too late. Last season should have thought us a lesson, but we failed to heed the warning signs after falling abjectly short last season. Arsenal barely improved, other teams around us did, sure we have improved on the points total at this time last season by a whooping 1point, and we may even increase the tally by another 3 points if (BIG BIG IF ooo) the gunners beat Everton in the universal 3pm kick off for all games on Sunday.  Should they s do that and somehow find a way to qualify for the champion’s league and then also win the FA cup on the 27^th, it will be one of the greatest of “great escapes” for Arsene Wenger and that’s the best he can hope for from what’s turned out into a season of “ifs, what and maybes”!

 To the game proper, there is nothing much to analyses except well, Everton would of course want the gunners to get that Champions league spot over their Merseyside rivals in Liverpool, but like Klopp said when asked “it’s in our hands to get the job done, and if we do it we deserve to be in the champion’s league, if we don’t then we don’t deserve to be in the champions league”. Quite a frank manager there if I may say, Arsene on the other hand says things like “ Winning trophies don make you better” JEEEZ I hope that was a slip please Arsene. That’s the reason why our team is stuck in status quo, while the speed train is beginning to leave us behind. Arsenal need a convergence of coincidences to qualify for Europe’s premier club tourney. For me that doesn’t look like happening besides what’s the point of qualifying to the champions league if you end up bowing out at the round of 16? Pointless if you ask me shaa ooo, but it would still be nice for sentiments sake to qualify, even though everyone including my dog (which is non existent by the way) knows the gunners don’t deserve the slot on the basis of this season’s poor showing by the whole team. You may have noticed I didn’t mention Man City, that’s because I believe their train has left the building. Yes, this is football where anything could happen, but come on guys….do you see City losing to Watford looking at the current form of both teams? GOD knows that I don’t, so i ain't even going to bother myself with their game, Liverpool on the other hand……….well, you can fill in the blanks.

The gunners definitely have a job on their hands with so much at stake, there is the subliminal issue of who gets the golden boot, with harry Kane pulling 3goals clear of the chasing pack in Romelo Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez. This definitely puts a real twist to the last game of the season. Lukaku would like to win it, Alexis I am very sure is hungry for it while Hurricane ....sorry Harry Kane must be having a good laugh wherever he is cuz he still has a chance to add more goals in Spurs own last game against Hull. We haven’t added the issue of Wenger’s future, will he be staying or going, who knows? For the first time in a long long while Arsene’s future seems to be hanging in the balance with rumblings in the background about a power struggle between Ivan Gazidis and the coach, not forgetting the failed bid of $1.7B by Usmanov to buy out KSA. There is an AGM coming up and the Club says his future will be decided after the FA cup final on the 27^th.  I am sure we all know where this is headed but l I guess this is what makes the EPL most exciting as a league, all the twists, scenarios and drama. Let’s hope the fans get their due for backing to this TEAM. My predicted line up here

Image Credits: The Uk Guardian Online

Subs: Ospina, Giroud, Gabriel, Walcott, Coq, El Neny, Gibbs, Jeff

     Once again, while not a Chelsea fan we celebrate football, so Congrats to the Blues of Stamford bridge again, much respect to Conte for the turn around the 3-0 trouncing at the Emirates, now all coaches are playing back three including Wenger. That for me was one of the few highlights of my 2016/17 Arsenal season. On that note, its Adios Amigos……do enjoy the last sip, Ciaaooo

FA Cup Preview: A Wembley Redemption??

It’s been a loong loooooong season for the gunners and the fans alike, so far a most unhappy one too. Once again, we have flattered to deceive and now we have to console ourselves with the proverbial “Next season will be better” rolling ma eyez here. Well not to sound so pessimistic, but if you look at the fiasco at Selhurst Park where Big Sam and his boiz flew higher than our cannons could shoot. 3 unreplied goals! The eagles breaking a record of no win over the gunners at home since 1979, plus Big Sam finally getting a win over Arsene Wenger since he last did with Bolton….Jeeze how terrible have we been for such a big team. Arsenal finally stemmed the tide of 4 straight away losses by conceding 3 goals when the gunners snatched a 2-1 win over relegation battling Middlebrough. I sure hope that’s it for pessimism but hey its arsenal we talking about. There are always endless possibilities with this team.

Its FA Cup weekend and Chelsea just booked their place in the Finals with a 4-2 win over tiny Totts who have now lost all their Semi-finals at Wembley. They really must hate that stadium with all the not so pleasant memories it holds for them, both in the FA cup and the Champions league. Anyway Chelsea I the finals means a tough customer for whoever is gonna join them for the battle of England’s premier competition, Premier….in terms of tradition that iz. For the gunners, it’s a date with Man City in the second Semi-final at Wembley. This is looking more lie the last roll of the dice, we talking, win or burst for the 2016/17 season. Out of the EFL cup first, then out of the EPL, out of the Champions League, and possibly out of the Wenger favourite…“top 4 cup”. Things are definitely not looking good and I am trying to be an optimist, really I am looking for any positives ahead of this clash with city on Sunday. It’s not like City is in a fearsome run of form, yeah maybe there has been a bit of resurgence on their part but they still remain vulnerable. it’s the mentality that the gunners have that’s got me worried. Our boiz don’t play like they “want” it, they play like it’s just another day at the office for them and that’s down to the coaching management, Arsene I am looking at you on this. Performances in recent times have been that dire, the less we write about them the better.

Arsenal have it all to do now, it’s a battle for some sort of redemption….at least I hope the whole team sees this game that way. Both teams like to play open football so we are likely to see goals, maybe not a goal fest like the Blues/Spurs game. The midfield battle will be key as that’s where this game will likely be won, considering the fact that both teams are suspect in defence. City are an error away from a goal mishap, Arsenal can play with cigarettes in a gas station. It would be down to whose midfield is able to take advantage and sprig their attacks to capitalize…..i hope it’s the gunners. What makes this game a cracker for neutrals is because City too haven’t had a stellar season despite their high profile manager coming on board, even with an FA cup win I am sure their fans would be disappointed in how their season has turned out after such a promising start. That’s all perspective and I am not a Man City fan, so how thy feel is really is not my cup of tea to be honest.

The Team selection will be interesting for us, do we go with pace of Walcott Sanchez and Welbz  (who is doubtful) or do mix it a bit with some Giroud for aerial battling. My predicted line up would be somewhat different from the usual. Say a 3-4-3, lets see how that works out:

Subs: Martinez, Gibbs, Ramsey, Welbeck, Bellerin, Iwobi, Walcott, Elneny, Coq

Image Credits: The UK Guardian Online

There you go, Winning the FA cup might be the only bright spot of whats been another terrible season form the gunners, considering the quality of players at Wenger's disposal, we really should be doing better than this underachievement. Anyway that’s debate for another day, for now let’s just hope the gunners outgun City, get to the final and hopefully lift the trophy for a new record. In this form, I know that’s wishful thinking right?? Thats it from us here, please please and please dont forget to like our FB page here  as well as follow the #anaijagunner on twitter, do enjoy the game wherever you are………Ciaooo 

Its Squeaky Bum Time: Top 4 Quest

            Arsenal finally got back to winning ways in midweek after putting 3 unreplied goals past the hapless hammers. Not to take anything away from performance by an Özil inspired gunners, but West Ham were totally at sea in their second half display, after being very stoic and compact in the first half, coupled with the terrible refereeing too from Martin Atkinson who refused to give at least one of the blatant penalty calls. The win got the gunners up to 5th temporarily before this weekend’s round of fixtures and results. Can we build on this win with a consistent run….that's the question?

The Arsenal train stops with a visit to the eagles at Selhurst Park as the gunners keep a date with Crystal Palace. It seems such a long long time, the HFB aka Oliver Giroud scored that beauty of a goal, with the scorpion kick. It was in the reverse fixture back in January, then, the gunners were still in the running for 3 trophies, at least hypothetically if not realistically…abi? Anyway fast forward a couple months down 2017 and here we are, in 6^th position, seven points off the top four places, in the annual scrap for top four. That is the gunners’ quest yet again having fallen by the way side in the Champions league (no surprises there) and the Premier league contention, again no surprises there. This past weekend fixture results have put the heat back on the gunners, with Tottenham starring in a 4-0 win, while Liverpool and Man united picked up 3points too. The onus is on us now to go ahead and match them with a win on Monday, we are hoping the win over the hammers in midweek is a return to winning ways.

Big Sam and his boiz have had a fairly good run of form recently wining four straight games shocking Chelsea at home while at it before surprisingly losing to Southampton at home in midweek. Anyway such is the league these days, you can’t afford to underestimate any team especially one in a relegation scrap and coached by Sam Allardyce. Arsenal have it all to do if they are to attain the “Holy Grail” of top 4 this year. A must win match it is. Head to Head history is in favour of us though, whatever that counts for as the eagles have failed to beat the gunners at home since 1979. Now whether that is a sign of things to come is no guarantee but we can hope that Arsenal will somehow look back at the fiasco that was the visit to West Brom at the Hawthorns and learn from it or else, Arsene wenger should just forget about top four and possibly any contract extension. Let’s face it, this team (or more like group of players) has so far underperformed this season with too many lows than highs, the least you will expect is to finish the season strongly on a high. Looking at the team sheets for both clubs its obvious who has more quality players but the important thing is to knit them together to play like a team. This is not to trivialize the threat the likes of Benteke and an inform Zaha/Puncheon/Townsend can pose on their day…definitely not. If you place them side by side our Walcott, Welbz Sanchez and Özil then you get my drift. Having said that, we know how difficult games aren’t won by names or won on paper, so it’s up to the gunners to prove their mettle. I hope the defensive pairing of Mustafi and Gabby can handle the aerial threat of Benteke and his physicality. The midfield will also have to be on their toes to cut out the supply line that feeds Puncheon and Zaha. All in all, it would be nice to keep a second clean sheet in a row for young Martinez. My predicted line up will be as follows:                     Subs: Macey, Holding, Jeff, Ramsey, Gibbs, Giroud, Oxlade, Iwobi

Image Credits: The Uk Guardian Online      

The above team should be able to do the job of getting the much needed 3points, no one said it was gonna be a cake walk though. Whatever team goes out there, lets get behind the boiz, we can iron out our issues with the club management later. Dont forget to follow us on this blog and like our FB page here https://web.facebook.com/anaijagunner/.  Thats it from us, do enjoy the game whereever you maybe.....Ciaooo