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

we'll be fine

chin up lads and punt 3-0. 

and double up on WBA to beat the Cocks and Sunderland draw with Everton

I will be going to the game today, and I will be wearing my lucky pink jumper, so there is nothing to worry about.

Looking forward to hitting up Wembley shortly.

GOONERS

Can't believe the rubbish on show......10mins to save the seas

Peeeerrrrrrrrrrr

Jeez this is hard work! COYG

Not penos ffs

Thank fudge.

Thank christ for that. We played nervously but showed good heart to get that equaliser and go on to win. Very good penalties and nice saves from fab. He deserves to start the final for that alone.

One more game to end the drought...

Small matter of a must-win game against westham midweek too...

I dont care that it was scrappy. I dont care we didnt play any where near our potential. We are in the final. And hopefully this win will help stop the rot that has set in over the past few weeks

That was way too intense. Loving it though. 

terrible football. I'd argue that without OX we would of lost. 

anyway pleased for a final in May, seriously need some players back before then. 

Thought gibbs was great when he came on. Not sure what to make of sanogo, was pleased that he kept going thou. Really hoping this gives us a boost for the top 4 place. Ozil should be back next week. Santi needs a breather badly.  Like others have mentioned ugly win but we're in the final and thats what matters

Gibbs looks good ( in part) because Monreal didn't. 

No team wins the FA Cup by playing beautifully every round. So hopefully that is our worst performance done with. 

6/6 required from here. City & United to help us out and strip 6 points off Everton. Win the FA Cup & finish 4th 3 points clear.

If we can't beat Hull we've really bottled it. I'm more concerned about the remaining league games.

With an eye to the future apparently Lukaku is going to $40m+. I think if Everton finishes 4th ahead of us there's no where else he's likely to go.

Also rumours abundant that Richard's is doing a Sagna and not signing a new contract and will be sold. For me he's the perfect replacement for Sagna, a RB that can cover CB, and maybe transition to CB when Jenkinson is ready to be first choice CB in 2-3 years time, when Kos/Verm/Mert are all tired and retiring.

I'm not sold on Richards...feels like a risk... I know he's got Zabaleta ahead of him who is excellent, but taking a second choice from what should be one of our rivals is a bit meh too. He's had opportunities to prove himself there under multiple managers, and none of them have been that happy with him, even when Zabaleta has been absent. 

Fullbacks are extremely important positions for the way we play. Although Sagna is a rare breed that can also play CB, I don't want to make that a priority. As well as a good engine and very good defensive decision making, we need the pace and attacking verve that we've become used to on our left side with Cole, Clichy and now Gibbs. We need FBs of the quality of Everton in my opinion and I'd love to see us make a big play for Coleman. I like what I've read about that Feyenoord RB we've been linked with too. 

I guess to sum up Richards wouldn't be the worst buy, but if we're replacing Sagna it would feel like a bit of a step back. 

I'm starting to think DMF is our most needed area of strengthening. Reckon Arteta's not been up to it lately when it comes to the crunch. He has the passing and the positional awareness, but we need someone who's a bit bigger, more of a beast, will take the game by the scruff of the neck as they say. Guess I'm really just describing that mythical Vieira replacement...

Midfield destroyer and prolific striker. Thanks for coming.

Made very tough work of that yesterday, Sanogo I wouldn't have at the Phoenix but bring on the Cup Final and hopefully by that time we have secured 4th.

Sanogo is potentially another Lukaku, who is potentially another Drogba.

Whilst his finishing is abysmal - it's also going to improve with experience, and confidence. But it will take time. The thing that excited me is that he has the strength and awareness to get himself into positions where we bemoan his finishing. Give him a good couple of seasons on loan and he could be a beast.

But no, he should not been seen in our shirt again for a couple of seasons. 

Loving Fabianski this season, wish that guy would stay

https://www.101greatgoals.com/blog/did-you-notice-lukas-fabianski-ran-the-length-of-the-pitch-after-arsenal-equaliser-v-wigan/

Howdy Gooners

Anyone know of a place in Auckland that will show the FA Cup live and that will be chock-full of Arsenal fans?

Agree, with his recent performances it would be easy to argue that we should keep hold of him rather than Szczesny if there was a choice between the 2.

yes please and a young out and out winger if there is any change left :)....no a need but a want, we do need a bit more pace in the squad 

i wouldnt go as far as lukaku but yes like you said strength and awareness is good. Not sure why we didnt give Akpom more of a chance he looked good in the preseason.

Brumbys that feyenoord RB I mentioned scored this at the weekend;

https://www.101greatgoals.com/blog/golazo-daryl-janmaat-feyenord-scores-cannonball-stunner-v-psv-gif/

Possibly Fox's.

Just looking at the fixture list and comparing our games against Everton's. Everton's last game of the seaon is away at Hull - a week before the FA Cup final. If Hull are safe from relegation by then, I can't imagine them putting out their strongest side.

Tomorrow is huge for us, in my opinion our toughest remaining game given the short turnaround and severe injury issues. After tomorrow we should see players filtering back. Just got to get through this one, 1-0 would be awesome. 

If we can win, then I feel we could potentially sew up 4th before the final day. 

Everton have Palace on Thurs, but after that they have ManU, Southampton away, then Man City. A very tough 3 games. I would expect perhaps 5 points at best from those, maybe 6 or 7 if they do very well. If they get 9 then all power to them, they deserve 4th. 

I hope we can sort it before the last day because I'll be nervous as heck if we need to win at Carrow Road. Yes Norwich have been pants but a team fighting relegation on the final day are like a wounded tiger, watch the f*ck out. 

Assuming worst case scenario and none of those on this list make a test we might be looking at:https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/competitions/premier-league/10760132/Arsenal-v-West-Ham-United-match-preview.html

                        Szy

Sagna Mertesacker Verm  Gibbs

             Arteta Kallstrom

Sanogo       Cazorla      Eisfield

                   Giroud

Then you read this and Ramsey might be no good!

https://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/20140414/team-news-who-s-fit-to-face-west-ham-

Hopefully Ramsey & Ox come through their tests to replace Sanogo and Eisfield, but I imagine we'll need to use all 3 subs on that midfield at some point. Wouldn't mind us starting a 4-4-2 with Sanogo and Giroud leading the line together to take some pressure of fielding 5 midfielders.

I think they have every right to celebrate, a team that challenged them all the way was defeated and enabled Arsenal to reach the FA Cup final. Regardless of the opposition, winning a semi final is worth celebrating. It also diminishes the shift Wigan put in, they played bloody well, and to the same level you saw when they beat Man City.

Ultimately we're the last big team left in the competition, we got there by defeating Everton, Liverpool, and Sp*rs. We then beat a lowly championship side, that same lowly championship side who went out and beat Manchester City.

You can take the piss out of Arsenal, but the reality is we're in the FA Cup final and only Hull can say the same thing. Your (and Roy Keane's) United team currently sit in 7th, struggling to lock in Europa league football, and have no trophies left to contend.