Villa A Sat 18th Feb KO 1230

[Retro Gunner]

I'm back to not having a fucking clue what will happen. If we win, it will be close run, but I think that probably applies if we lose. As well as this season has gone...and it was going incredibly well until the Toffees game...I think that deep down, many of us (maybe most of us), suspected that we weren't as good as results had made us seem. The collapse, albeit not yet protracted or terminal, hasn't come as much of a surprise to any of us.

I've no doubt become a bore over my vehement criticisms of Xhaka, although I'm not alone in that, but as much as Arteta has surprised me this season and as well as his team has done, I can never shrug off my doubts about any manager that rates and values the bloke. That goes for Wenger, Emery (although I think he'd maybe worked it out just prior to being sacked) and now Arteta. Xhaka is so woefully useless and such a dangerous liability, that I can't put my faith in anyone that can't see it.

I suppose that people could say, "Yeah alright mate, you know better than Wenger, Emery and Arteta do you?", but it really isn't just me at all and for starters, it seems that those on here who have the best understanding of the game, also don't rate him. It's also noticeable how you can tell the ex pros on tv who think he's crap are the ones that talk the most sense, typically Souness, although most are non committal if not critical of him. Anyway, while Xhaka is in the team, we're not just carrying a dead weight, we're actively giving the opposition a 12th man and his presence will ALWAYS hold us back. Ultimately for me, it destroys any belief in the manager. I didn't see the game against City, but from the comments on here, Xhaka gave an absolute masterclass in all his inherent crapness. If he continues to be picked, which we know he will be, then it says it all about the manager's judgement.

As for tomorrow's game, I think it does us a favour that Emery is the manager. It isn't his style to adopt the Dyche style tactics and he plays a pretty open game, which should suit us. However, the shadow of the Albanian/Swiss duffer will loom large and Eddie is Championship level at best up front, so no threat there.

All in all, fuck knows.

[falkirk goon]

I'm back to not having a fucking clue what will happen. If we win, it will be close run, but I think that probably applies if we lose. As well as this season has gone...and it was going incredibly well until the Toffees game...I think that deep down, many of us (maybe most of us), suspected that we weren't as good as results had made us seem. The collapse, albeit not yet protracted or terminal, hasn't come as much of a surprise to any of us.

I've no doubt become a bore over my vehement criticisms of Xhaka, although I'm not alone in that, but as much as Arteta has surprised me this season and as well as his team has done, I can never shrug off my doubts about any manager that rates and values the bloke. That goes for Wenger, Emery (although I think he'd maybe worked it out just prior to being sacked) and now Arteta. Xhaka is so woefully useless and such a dangerous liability, that I can't put my faith in anyone that can't see it.

I suppose that people could say, "Yeah alright mate, you know better than Wenger, Emery and Arteta do you?", but it really isn't just me at all and for starters, it seems that those on here who have the best understanding of the game, also don't rate him. It's also noticeable how you can tell the ex pros on tv who think he's crap are the ones that talk the most sense, typically Souness, although most are non committal if not critical of him. Anyway, while Xhaka is in the team, we're not just carrying a dead weight, we're actively giving the opposition a 12th man and his presence will ALWAYS hold us back. Ultimately for me, it destroys any belief in the manager. I didn't see the game against City, but from the comments on here, Xhaka gave an absolute masterclass in all his inherent crapness. If he continues to be picked, which we know he will be, then it says it all about the manager's judgement.

As for tomorrow's game, I think it does us a favour that Emery is the manager. It isn't his style to adopt the Dyche style tactics and he plays a pretty open game, which should suit us. However, the shadow of the Albanian/Swiss duffer will loom large and Eddie is Championship level at best up front, so no threat there.

All in all, fuck knows.

Quality post Retro nail on the fucking napper

[falkirk goon]

As 1 long banned poster on here once said, this is the biggest game of the week for us

Ah the old days..Udinese away after the 8-2 turdholing at Auld Traffart

[Retro Gunner]

As 1 long banned poster on here once said, this is the biggest game of the week for us

Ah the old days..Udinese away after the 8-2 turdholing at Auld Traffart

That was Red Member wasn't it? To be honest, I always quite liked him, added a bit of interest and optimism, had to laugh at the things he said too. Could never quite make out if he actually believed what he said, or was just a consummate wind up merchant.

I liked Babatunde too. Didn't the come back with a different name?

Mind you, I thought US Martin was hard done by to get the bullet. I hadn't joined the forum back then, but used to read it. To be honest, it was a big forum back then, loads of posters and full of good characters.

[TeeCee]

Clearly Xhaka walked into Arteta's office when Tets was blowing Odegaard. Shoe in for selection forever now!

On a serious note, I think Arteta likes him for his personality and experience
How anyone cannot see how slow, ponderous and dangerous Xhaka is, is a puzzle of the modern age. Maybe I'm right about the blow job? I'd have Xhaka out the club in 10 mins if I was boss.

[rodders999]

I’d actually thought they’d done away with the Wednesday night/early kick off Saturday fixture scheduling.

Turns out that only applies to champions league clubs. That’s fucking great for the integrity of the league isn’t it, some teams won’t be subjected to that quick turnaround but others will. That seems fair.

Actually that’s pretty a silly of me to talk about there being integrity in this league seeing as an official has just been sacked for (depending on your take on it) gross incompetence/corruption.

[OneBardGooner]

Clearly Xhaka walked into Arteta's office when Tets was blowing Odegaard. Shoe in for selection forever now!

On a serious note, I think Arteta likes him for his personality and experience
How anyone cannot see how slow, ponderous and dangerous Xhaka is, is a puzzle of the modern age. Maybe I'm right about the blow job? I'd have Xhaka out the club in 10 mins if I was boss.

I'd phone the cun.t before I arrived at the training ground and tell him NOT to bother turning up.

[xisstential]

Clearly Xhaka walked into Arteta's office when Tets was blowing Odegaard. Shoe in for selection forever now!

On a serious note, I think Arteta likes him for his personality and experience
How anyone cannot see how slow, ponderous and dangerous Xhaka is, is a puzzle of the modern age. Maybe I'm right about the blow job? I'd have Xhaka out the club in 10 mins if I was boss.

Maybe Arteta values Wenger opinion so much he is blinded??? Still no excuse though!!The thing that gets me is that everybody weighs in during the week, trying to figure out the best combination to win whatever game is ahead of us. Yet we are forced to make our choices around Xhaka, because we all know that, immediately after Ramsdale, his name gets written down. It's infuriating and incomprehensible. Mourinho wanted to buy him as well, wtf was that all about?? Had he gone his career would be over now, he would have gone the way of Ramsey. Within 3 games his crapness would have been front and centre, relegated to the bench and would have stayed there until they somehow managed to get shot of him. But no, he stayed at Arsenal and got a pay raise. After begging to leave!! The mind boggles

[augie]

I’d actually thought they’d done away with the Wednesday night/early kick off Saturday fixture scheduling.

Turns out that only applies to champions league clubs. That’s fucking great for the integrity of the league isn’t it, some teams won’t be subjected to that quick turnaround but others will. That seems fair.

Actually that’s pretty a silly of me to talk about there being integrity in this league seeing as an official has just been sacked for (depending on your take on it) gross incompetence/corruption.

Tbf that is a travel thing and that is fair enough imo

We were at home Wednesday night ffs - remember back in the 70s when we were on cup runs we were playing catch up with fixtures and having to play every second day ? These c.unts are fitter than those players ever were and if we were on a winning run we would want them playing every 3 days to keep the momentum going, but cos we are badly off form we are looking for excuses all the time now

[rodders999]

It would be a travelling thing if it just applied to away games in the CL Augie but it doesn’t, even if you’re home on a Wednesday night you still can’t be scheduled in the Saturday lunchtime slot.

Obviously they came to that decision because it was seen as a disadvantage to have that such a short turnaround between games so why should some teams get that privilege and others don’t? Doesn’t seem very fair to me.

Make them play every day for all I care but the same rules should apply to everyone.

[LeftfootlegendGooner]

Kind of given up interest tbf, all I know is one poster hasn't been on here for months but I knew as soon as we started to lose games he'd be back, like Arnie but bald and old

[OneBardGooner]

Kind of given up interest tbf, all I know is one poster hasn't been on here for months but I knew as soon as we started to lose games he'd be back, like Arnie but bald and old

In a Nutshell.


BOOM!

[rodders999]

Smith Rowe back in the squad

[Almunia is a clown]

We all know historically Arsenal don't win League titles the easy way, it really doesn't work like that!

The next seven games are vital & we have to pick up a large haul of points from them to stay in contention before we head into April & the last nine matches.

On paper those are some of the hardest clashes against our rivals but thats still very far away, from the present task.

One game at a time, stay positive & keep the faith. Come on you Gunners!

[mcdowell42]

As 1 long banned poster on here once said, this is the biggest game of the week for us

Ah the old days..Udinese away after the 8-2 turdholing at Auld Traffart

That was Red Member wasn't it? To be honest, I always quite liked him, added a bit of interest and optimism, had to laugh at the things he said too. Could never quite make out if he actually believed what he said, or was just a consummate wind up merchant.

I liked Babatunde too. Didn't the come back with a different name?

Mind you, I thought US Martin was hard done by to get the bullet. I hadn't joined the forum back then, but used to read it. To be honest, it was a big forum back then, loads of posters and full of good characters.

Retro were u back that far in the day ,US Martin an absolute legend with the written word, babatunde the man with a cousin in France ,who was an authority on everything French, Red member a breath of fresh air on here,till DB ejected him