NEWCASTLE AWAY

[LeftfootlegendGooner]

the worst thing is, I hadn't even considered that as an option
wonder why...

Cos you ain't as clever as I is innit

[LeftfootlegendGooner]

Result wise.....4-2 to The Arsenal.

If we start with old twinkle toes giroud though I reserve the right to change this prediction to a 1-1 draw.

[augie]

If we do manage to win this game, the run points from the league since the game in Munich has been pretty impressive. Maybe this team has grown up and like the teams from the early Wenger years has moved beyond the need for motivation from the manager, which I think has been the clear failing over the past 8 barren years.

I turned against Wenger when he was unable to pick the team up after losing to Birmingham in the CCup ("4th in a 2 horse race and all that"). I felt we would never win another trophy with him because he cannot motivate a team to cross the line when the pressure is on . But, if we were to win in Newcastle conditions for next season could be good and one of the main ones is keeping the team together. Last two seasons we've suffered gutwrenching losses of marquee players. It's not going to happen this season. Pod might go but he's hardly the main man Judas van Staplecunt was. And maybe some of the recent good results are because this set of players are leaning to play together. Plus we are going to see the back of some of the deadwood. One or two key additions, up front obviously, goalie, midfield ball winner maybe.

Another may be the state of our rivals. City may be a shambles next season. Manyoo under Moyes will be an unknown. Chelsea will have a new manager, but that never seems to stop them anyway. It's be a shock if one of them completed a whole season. I think Spurs will be stronger if they can hold onto Monkeyboy.

I hope next season is Wenger's last, but he could go out on a high and I'd be delighted if he did.

I agree with a lot of this - although with a bit less finality
the post CC collapse was disastrous, I think players as well as fans lost belief in the group and the manager
if we could have bounced back from that I think we may have kept/delayed some of the high profile departures
(one more season of Cesc would have been useful)

would be awesome if Wenger could add enough to this squad to win something

He'd have to start with a new fucking manager

But if we win at Newcastle we'll have picked up 26 points in our last 10 games, which even with a decent run like we've had is the kind of return that wins leagues. It's just so frustrating that it is another false dawn/doing what's needed to achieve the bare minimum and we won't replicate anything like that record 10 games into next season.

I expect the ignorant journo's to come out with that kind of statement buddy cos they have only a passing interest in our club but I am shocked that a Gooner would say that Yes 26pts from a possible 30 does look good on paper but when you examine it closer it certainly doesn't stand up to scrutiny - beating lower league teams does not and will never constitute a title winning bid. Those 26pts came from 8 wins and 2 draws but five of those wins came against teams that lie 15th, 16th, 18th, 19th and 20th so when I hear/read people talk about the great run we are on I can't help but shake my head

[Dan_85]

Those 26pts came from 8 wins and 2 draws but five of those wins came against teams that lie 15th, 16th, 18th, 19th and 20th so when I hear/read people talk about the great run we are on I can't help but shake my head

Not to mention that a lot of those points were won in a horrifically nervous manner that was almost impossible to watch. Clinging on desperately to one goal leads etc against teams from the bottom quarter of the table. I'm convinced that if we played that exact run of games again we wouldn't do so well.

[northbank123]

I expect the ignorant journo's to come out with that kind of statement buddy cos they have only a passing interest in our club but I am shocked that a Gooner would say that Yes 26pts from a possible 30 does look good on paper but when you examine it closer it certainly doesn't stand up to scrutiny - beating lower league teams does not and will never constitute a title winning bid. Those 26pts came from 8 wins and 2 draws but five of those wins came against teams that lie 15th, 16th, 18th, 19th and 20th so when I hear/read people talk about the great run we are on I can't help but shake my head

Firstly, it seems like you're categorising everybody from West Brom downwards as 'lower league'. Over a season those games are worth 78 points. So yeah, a great record against those teams CAN be a title-winning bid if you take 70+ points. Definitely more important than the 6-12 points available against the other genuine title contenders.

Secondly, I said our return has been great. Not our form. I think any team would take 26 points over any 10 game period. I know full well we haven't played brilliantly in that time, and that we wouldn't win the league playing like that for 38 games. Hence why I also said that the record was a false dawn and generally suggested it was misrepresentative of where we're at.

[highburyJD]

the worst thing is, I hadn't even considered that as an option
wonder why...

Cos you ain't as clever as I is innit

was finking I'd been slowly indoctrinated by our refusal to vary formation, till I forgot it was possible

[flash gunner]

We will win and everything will be rosy in the Wenger garden

[highburyJD]

We will win and everything will be rosy in the Wenger garden

phew
GoGunners!

[Thierry 3-8-99]

Those 26pts came from 8 wins and 2 draws but five of those wins came against teams that lie 15th, 16th, 18th, 19th and 20th so when I hear/read people talk about the great run we are on I can't help but shake my head

Not to mention that a lot of those points were won in a horrifically nervous manner that was almost impossible to watch. Clinging on desperately to one goal leads etc against teams from the bottom quarter of the table. I'm convinced that if we played that exact run of games again we wouldn't do so well.

Fully agree that watching these games has been tortuous - I feel we really lack a leader on the pitch at such moments - nobody's prepared to organise and motivate let alone f****** b*****k anyone whose dropped off the pace!

[highburyJD]

We are on a good run of results not form
but when Chelski or ManUre play crap and win its often attributed to their strength of character
I think BFG, Kos and Tets are strong leaders (BFG and Tets have had at least a poor performance each in that run)

[spendsum4uckingmoney]

Can't help but feel like the nerves are showing so I thought i'd give a few positives.

Away from home we have by far the best defensive record. 14 clean sheets, compared to 19 of United/Citeh.

Newcastle tend to either win or lose at home. They have had just 1 draw all season at st James'. That suits us because a draw doesn't do much for us.

Tim Krul is injured.

Di Canio has threatened his oplayers that if they don't perform they wont get max holiday.

.

[northbank123]

5 away wins on the bounce and the last time we dropped points against a team 8th or below was New Year's Day (12 in a row).

[mcdowell42]

Howard webb is the ref for this game not sure if thts reason for being optimistic or pessimistic

Anybody have any idea wht record we have with him refereeing our games

[Brady's left peg]

Howard webb is the ref for this game not sure if thts reason for being optimistic or pessimistic

Anybody have any idea wht record we have with him refereeing our games

Off the top of my head I think we do OK with Webb officiating, the only negative and I stand to be corrected wasn't it Webb that made a couple of rickets when the barcodes played Sunderland? If it was he might be looking to even things up........ I fucking hope not!

[augie]

We are on a good run of results not form
but when Chelski or ManUre play crap and win its often attributed to their strength of character
I think BFG, Kos and Tets are strong leaders (BFG and Tets have had at least a poor performance each in that run)

Thats all well and good but when manure are beating the likes of citeeh and the chavs then they can take that viewpoint but when you have a team like ours that is unable to beat any of the other top 6 teams (unless a mercenary c.unt gets himself sent off ) then it is perfectly reasonable to scrutinise form as well as results - not playing well enough to beat the top teams and not playing well despite limping past the average teams does not bode well for any team

Most on here know that I am a fan of bfg and arteta but despite that, I have to say that neither are leaders in the strongest sense of the word and are the type of players who silently do their jobs and expect others to follow their lead bt we, in my opinion at least, need a few really vocal leaders. Kos, who I have always believed shold be first choice alongside bfg, is def more of a follower than a leader - I would actally go so far as to say that if he didnt have a player alongside him directing him then he would be able to find his way off the pitch at half time