(The not-so-temporary quite-official) Gooner Thread (Part 1)

We certainly have been on top, but Everton very dangerous on the counter. You could see in their goal also, Flamini paying for his earlier idiotic challenge and yellow card by holding off (not sure who) the Everton player all the way in to the box, too scared to make the tackle. 

I fancy Giroud and Rosicky, but especially Giroud, could come off the bench and make an impact on this game. We've looked good though, just need to be converting some chances and not putting ourselves at the mercy of their counter attack.

Giroud making a massive impact off the bench, didn't see that coming though we had played well first half just nothing up top. Bit of confidence for Wednesday though more importantly for the NLD against the Yids at their sh*thole next weekend. 

The Cup is still what we need to go for IMO

Epic afternoon in north London.

WEMBLEY!

Cazorla was immense. Hope he carries this form through March.

Munich put 6 past Wolfsburgh this morning

Is it a Wed or Thu morning kick-off here? In half a mind to reschedule work. 

Wednesday morn for Bayern

Cracking game this morning! Pulsating end to end stuff. We musta had 10 shots on target in the first half! Some terrible giveaways from multiple players in our side, but that did contribute to the spectacle. Really enjoyed that, the time just flew by. 
Negatives first, those giveaways, plus I thought Sagna had a poor game aside from his assist. Got in plenty of good positions but a lot of crap crosses and caught short a lot when they got the ball and attacked. Sanogo tried but he's not ready, that's for sure - I hope he was watching when my boy Olivier came on. Giroud's movement was top notch, amazing how much difference that made to ozil and cazorla's games. Ozil was pretty good this morn too, great to see him finish that goal and bag a very tidy assist. Vermaelen was rusty on a couple of occasions but overall I thought he played well, as he has on the few occasions when called upon this season. If we could retain him that would be a major coup but I'd hardly blame him for wanting more starts elsewhere.

Ox was awesome, aside from one or two giveaways in bad areas - he is prone to that, much like wilshere and ramsey (to a lesser extent this season). Think we should keep the Ox wide right this year where his pace is more effective and the giveaways less costly, perhaps move him in more often as he matures and gets better in possession. He looks very dangerous and assured in the attacking third, our best option in the absence of theo surely. Poldi left and Santi right was the next best option but poldi just doesn't seem to be able to deliver consistently. 

Cant wait for bayern, we're on a hiding to nothing, throw caution to the wind in a great atmosphere against a great team, should be awesome.

If there's one thing I'm enjoying the most from us this season it's simply cracking games of football.

Oh and thanks F-Mac. 

Book your ticket for the wembley semi final please.

I am here for you all

And Wigan beat City. Brilliant. 

Awesome stuff. This is our chance boys!

Holy sh*tballs, Wigan in the semi... can't believe that... 

Hull vs Sheffield United in the other semi

This is massive yet I'm scared sh*tless. 2011 league cup final still burned on the brain...

It's time to exorcise the demons.

semi a month away, scheduled for the 12th or 13th of April.

In the meantime we've got;

11/3 Bayern away (CL)

16/3 Spurs away

22/3 Chelsea away

25/3 Swansea home

29/3 Man City home

6/4 Everton away

And if there were to be a miracle in Munich, throw in 2 CL quarterfinal legs either side of the Everton game... yikes

Time to put the big boy pants on and start bringing the wins.

The Everton game was massive. Sanogo just wasn't involved with his movement. Loved Ox's driving runs forward, and back whenever he screwed up. Sagna keeps getting caught out. He'll bomb up the wing when it's on the opposite side and then get caught on the counter, for me one of the full backs should always be back towards half way when the balls on the other wing.

Giroud was immense, and Cazorla and Ozil showed the legit partnership we've all longed for them to form.

Draw's out apparently and we got Wigan in the semi. 

Remy rumours gaining momentum:

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/arsenal-trigger-loic-remys-8million-3222436

Although I still don't get this whole 'podolski isn't the answer' business. He is a top notch player in a competitive environment who's had injuries. A bit like Vermaelen really.

Well we would have got City if they hadn't lost to Wigan.........again. Really hope we don't bottle it like we did against Birmingham in 2011. The FA Cup is ours to lose. Football journo's will be annoyed if they won't be able to write "Its been 9 years since Arsenal last won a trophy blah blah blah" in every single report and match review.

fudgeing great result of ours, and the wigan one as well.

boys looked very fluid and confident in transition. I know we have a tough run in over other the next month or so, but I saw enough in the game to think we can still fight until the end. bring on the BM!

Agreed and agreed mate......need a bit more poli in the next month thou

Any word on Kos for Munich? Vermy was good but I'd rather have Kos back in there. Did anyone else noticed Fabianski was well off the pace of 'clicking' with the back 4? Just in terms of coming for the ball etc he seemed to constantly be arguing with them. I imagine they were less likely to trust him than Szy.

I'd want to role out the same 11, with only Kos and Giroud in for Vermy and Sanogo.

^ Agreed

be interesting to see what arsene thinks, i wonder if he looks at rosicky as he likes to do for these sorts of games

we really miss walcott in this sort of situation, someone to stretch them with pace and runs in behind

havent seen anything about kosc yet, really hope he hasnt done anything serious to that hammy

Koscielny available

Gibbs out with a calf injury - which is crushing really since Monreal is also out. 

Vermaelen will likely play on the left side and Robben will attack him all day. I wonder if Cazorla might not start on the left now because of that - wouldn't be surprised to see Rosicky there.

Or we could see Jenkinson start right and Sagna on the left, but Jenkys could get exposed in a game like this. I like seeing him continue to ease his way to the first team via prem games against the lower sides. 

So hard figuring out that configuration. Ultimately we have to go out there and score 3 goals. Is starting Vermy going to enable that? Or is that what you'd do with a more defensive formation. We've got to start with our most attacking formation, and be prepared to make subs early.

Something like this would set us up well:

                 Fabianski

Jenky       BFG   Kosc   Sagna

             Arteta   Rosicky

Ox              Ozil           Cazorla

                Giroud

Podolski/Gnabry/Flamini to come into the game early if it's not working.

Vermaelen having to play LB would be a nightmare against Munich so I'd definitely go with the Jenkinson/Sagna combo.

Still, I held very little hope of getting past them over two legs anyway...

Yeah, I agree. We just need a good result against them tomorrow, which to me, is just not a soul destroying defeat. Play well, but go out of the comp, happy days - we/ve got plenty of other big games to focus on coming up.

So stoked about City being out of the FA Cup - a really, really good chance for us to get our hands on this year. Does anyone know if UberGunner still works at Back Bencher? W e could possibly twist his arm in to showing the final, should we get through.

Fired up. Read this on F365 and it sums up the rest of the season beautifully:

"Between now and the end of the campaign, Arsenal play ten matches in the Premier League to try and close the seven-point gap to Chelsea and in one month's time they face Wigan at Wembley with their best chance to win silverware for three years in sight."

Bring. It.

Some interesting choices from arsene this morn... no flamini??? vermaelen on the left, ox in the middle, poldi starts

robben and ribery both starting for bayern, but no kroos

                       Fabianksi

Sagna-Mertesacker-Koscielny-Vermaelen

                       Arteta-Ox

              Cazorla-Ozil-Podolski

                         Giroud

Neuer, Lahm, Martinez, Dante, Alaba, Schweinsteiger, Thiago, Robben, Gotze, Ribery, Mandzukic 

Man he's really going for it, that's one of the most attacking sides we've fielded. 

Wow wat a starting 11. Come on gunners!!

we are getting dominated in the middle of the park and holding the ball to long. but they are also doing a great job of closing us down. The OX is giving it his all tho!

the team we selected and how we've set up, (cazorla often in midfield looking for out-balls to poldi/ox), suggests we've basically conceded possession and are looking to break the press with quick passes. Those passes have often not been good enough yet.

Ozil's defence is mind-numbingly weak

ah shark

Thoughts on the Ozil off Rosicky on sub?

The livescores.com website is faster than the commentary. Good to hear it's 1-1. 2 goals still required. Game still on.

Well we gave it a shot. Can't wait to see Podolskis goal, sounded like a ripper! Good to know we can get a draw away with them. Left to rue the home match.

Did anyone else pick up on this?

https://www.101greatgoals.com/blog/arsenal-name-only-6-subs-for-bayern-2nd-leg-after-finding-out-ryo-miyaichi-is-ineligible-tweets/

szczesny's red decided the tie in the end

such a shame considering how well we matched them

for all that possession I counted two chances they should've taken (including the goal), we made a great account of ourselves. Good for the confidence, especially fab saving the peno and preventing a loss. 

Some of those boys gonna be dog tired for the NLD on sunday night

I really, really don't like Arjen Robben. Good for Fabianksi though, if he's out the door, a good performance like that today should get you noticed. 

Glad we played well, gave it a good shot. Vermaelen wasn't as bad as I thought he'd be coming in at left back against Robben. A few rash challenges, but overall did well. Oxlade gave us the go forward we needed, but he ran himself in to the ground and may have picked up a knock there in the end. Podolski did well through-out the game, a lot of hustle and wasn't afraid to get stuck in. 

Can understand, and agree with the Ozil for Rosicky switch - we needed more drive through midfield, and hustle, and that wasn't the game for Ozil. Glad to see Wenger, for once, not afraid to make those early subs, and really put everything in to it. The team should take heart from that performance. 

Özil is injured, possibly for a few weeks, hence the sub.

Overall we played well and there was nothing to be ashamed of.

Now for the FA Cup and a top three finish please and I'll be happy.

And yeah, Robben is an absolute disgrace and always has been.

Be interesting to see who will be available for the NLD. I imagine Rosicky/Flamini likely to come into the side. Depends on how well people back up.