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

Just asked Bein to explain why once again Sky TV gets the Arsenal Europa league game. So far this month they've given us Arsenal vs Everton on demand, zero Europa league live, and a Carboa cup match. I've spent more time finding other solutions than using the product you pay for. 

if you don't pay for both Sky and Bein you miss out

You're actually pretty spot on there with your speculations, the full 10 are all in your post. 

So spoiler alert, these are the 10 players in addition to Ramsey who have scored 50 arsenal goals under Arsene Wenger;

Henry

Walcott

van Persie

Giroud

Bergkamp

Adebayor

Pires

Ljungberg

Fabregas

Sanchez

Interesting comments from Wenger on Debuchy. Sounds like the guy has gone full circle and is now seemingly committed to the cause. Wenger praised his professionalism amid the setbacks he's had, and suggested that he may be a CB in future. Probably fits well with our formation these days, he could be similar to Monreal in that respect - more suited to CB in a back 3 than fullback. It's definitely a major trend these days, where the better defensive fullbacks switch to right or left-sided CB roles in 3-4-3 type formations, and wingers are often transformed into Wingbacks, as they don't have as much defensive responsibility in that type of formation.

Check out this bullet point breakdown on Debuchy's Arsenal career I found. He definitely hasn't covered himself in glory with some of his comments in his darkest moments, but it's hard to be too harsh on the guy with what has happened to him over the last 3 years;

• July 2014: bought from Newcastle after playing 4 of 5 games for France at the World Cup
• September 2014: ankle injury that required surgery.
• December 2014: returns from ankle injury after 3 months out, starting spot now taken by Bellerin
• January 2015: dislocated his shoulder requiring surgery
• April 2015: returns from shoulder injury, plays one match, doesn’t appear again.
• August 2015: starts first game of the season, doesn’t appear again.
• February 2016: loaned to Bordeaux.
• Summer 2016: thigh injury that keeps him out of the 2016 Euros.
• August 2016: calf injury.
• November 2016: returns from calf injury, plays 16 minutes before severely injuring his hamstring. Expected to be out until January 2017, but experiences repeated setbacks. Doesn’t appear again.
• October 2017: returns to the lineup away to Red Star.

Catching bits and pieces of the game while at work.

All over them mostly, but can't quite scramble one home yet. 

Having said that RSB just spurned a massive opportunity. Someone lost it badly in midfield (Coquelin I think?) and they created a one on one, but the striker fluffed it terribly.

Cmon lads, concentrate!

Just under half an hour to go

All over them but can't score, and looking pretty leaky on the break at the same time, game could really go either way from here

Wow amazing clearance off the line from RSB after Wilshere dinked it over the keeper, unbelievable

Nketiah is on now... man if he scores again, gooners gonna lose their sh*t lol

Finished 0-0. 

Problem with that kind of finishing is it's easy to clear off the line, just put your foot through it in a crowded area only 8 yards out!

An article was published in Marca in Spain last night on Santi Cazorla and the problems he's had. Unbelievable. 

2 years out, 8 operations, gangrene in his ankle, and he nearly lost his foot entirely! It seems that it was more than his football career at stake, but his actual ability to walk at all. 

His tendon is apparently 8cm shorter than it used to be. On top of that he had a skin graft done, they took it from his arm, and it was actually his tattoo of his daughter's name that was transfered to his ankle! Madness. 

Feel so sorry for the guy. I'd be surprised to see him play again after reading a bit of that. 

Yeah that was bad to read Paul, hopefully we see him again but he is the next diaby/rosicky in my mind :(

Well the peno was 50/50 so I don't begrudge that too much, but that offside call was a straight up shocker. Silva's run had been missed for the through-ball, then the guy plays it late anyway, 22 fecken players on the pitch knew that was offside, the only surprise on the replay was that it wasn't by more.

Felt like we were actually on top at that point and I really thought we were going to score again. They had faded, they definitely tired after their midweek champs league game, it was so blimmin annoying that we had the chance to draw/win ripped away from us with such a poor call. 

Man I would drop Sanchez right now. Did he even complete a pass successfully??? I know he's talented and all that but bloody hell, he gives it away cheaply time and time again. Ozil not as often but his problem is that when he does give it away he makes it look so pathetically weak.

They aren't signing contracts, Ozil is occasionally playing well but not consistently, Sanchez even less so, I'd be of a mind to drop them both for Spurs if I'm honest. 

I'd recall Walcott to get some pace up there still. That offside was such a joke - glad Xhaka gave the 4th official an earful when he came off. Peno was definitely 50-50 - helped Mr Oliver ensure he keeps his perfect streak of us getting zero away wins under his officiating!

I notice a lot of commentary blaming Wenger for selecting Coquelin at CB, and not playing Lacazette from the start, but lets be honest, that's not what lost the game at all this morn. Cech could/should have done better for the first goal, but the second was a iffy peno call and the third not a goal at all. We didn't get torn apart, we only looked super vulnerable on the break occasionally, against a team in some pretty super form. 

Sanchez totally f*cked up that pass to Ozil, should've been a very comfortable one on one there. In fact I'd put the state of this game on them and their inability to create chances this morn. Ozil is very quickly criticised because he's got that lethargic air about him and I get that, but at what point does Sanchez' immunity from criticism get cast aside? He's not been good this season at all, and the cheap giveaways are really getting at me. For every moment of brilliance that brings a goal, there's a bad pass that ruins a numbers overload, or gives the opposition a chance on the break. 

Yeah I took Sanchez playing through the middle as Wenger recognising his propensity for losing the ball but ability to pull rabbits out of the hat that needs him thus playing him through the middle and get Iwobi to provide cover.

What I liked about Coquelin was that it gave Wenger options. Let's say we go 2-0 down early and 3 at the back isn't working. You can revert to 4 at the back, and play 4-3-2-1 with Coquelin, Ramsey, Xhaka as the 3 and Ozil/Iwobi in behind Sanchez.

He's right about the offside goal - it killed the game off. Although it would have been better if everyone didn't stop like they did - that's not what's needed at this level. 

Hard to blame Cech for the 1st goal - KDB had 4 players around him and he still got a shot away on his weak foot into the bottom left - 4 different people who could have shut that down before the keeper has to get involved.

Yea when he first scored I didn't blame Cech, in live play I thought he'd scored cleanly, in off the post, and that it was just a great shot. But the replay showed the shot wasn't as accurate as I first thought, and that Cech actually did get a hand to it. Usually he has strong hands but in this case they weren't quite strong enough. 

Spot on. Why are either immune from criticism? Sanchez has been poor this season without doubt. He is a world class players and when he gets it right it's almost unstoppable,  but he's barley delivered since about February for us. I've already said my piece about Ozil. Unbelievable talent, but goes missing too often when we need him. 

Agree about whether we pick them for Spurs or not as well. Can't go in to that game with even one player out there half arsed giving the ball away cheaply, let alone several. Otherwise it'll be more points dropped and a real battle on for getting back in to the top 4.

Starting Coq was the wrong call

We should of started 4-2-3-1 with a proper #9. IMO that was Giroud for this game. 

Both Sanchez and Ramsey should be dropped until whatever issue they have is resolved. Ramsey in particular needs to tread very careful here as he isn't that good /important relative to the squad. 

3-1 was fair, they are better , yes we gave them a go but self inflicted errors cost us. That Ref isn't very good however we weren't ever good enough to win. 

I thought the ref was very poor on the tactical fouls. It was City's obvious tactic from the start - any time we had a chance to break they'd just haul someone down, and they never got yellowed for it. We were guilty of it too in the first half, and we got away with it as well. Then in the 2nd half he starts yellowing our guys all over the place for it, like he suddenly flicked a switch. 

I can't see how in any formation we would go into a big game without Ozil

If the idea is "Don't Lose" then maybe

But for attacking creation he's totally our fulcrum and we should set up to best support and accomodate this. 

I don't think he is much cop. 

But, as before, the Ref isn't culpable for self-inflicted wounds. 

Whether it would have made a lot of difference I can't say, but I still don't understand signing a £50 million striker but then leaving him on the bench against the big teams. What's the point of any of it?

Especially when he comes on and scores within 10 minutes, what could he have done from the start? His hold up play, while not Giroud, is better than Sanchez...

Not great going into the break on a low like this BUT hopefully we go into the NLD fired up and ready to prove a point...

I thought Arseblog made some good points yesterday about the fact that keeping Ozil and Sanchez hasn't made financial or footballing sense given their return so far this season. Ozil has so far delivered 2 assists and a goal, Sanchez has 2 assists and a goal. Hardly the kind of stuff that we couldn't have gotten from others in the squad, or better yet from Lemar/others we could have used the funds to buy.

oool just saw the 89 trailer. looks so good. I'm not sure if i knew about that match, or if i did, i've forgotten about it. Now I cant wait to watch it! I might even find a copy of the match itself as well.  

Very easy to say that in hindsight, isn't it? Seems a bit harsh to criticise the club for not being able to see into the future and know how productive they would be.

Ultimately the decision was a gamble. Could keeping them and losing them for frees result in one last top season from both of them resulting in a title push? It's November and the answer is no. Ultimately if they'd left and performed for City and wherever Ozil could have ended up we'd be bemoaning our current position and their form so the club was never going to win.

Exactly. There were polls prior to the season starting where people overwhelmingly wanted to keep Sanchez rather than sell.

If anything it highlights that selling in January is probably the best option - although given their form I'm not sure we'd find a buyer.

Giroud and Kos not looking good after friendlies, but Welbeck is very close to returning which is good.

I'm scared about this weekend, I'm basically going to be head-in-sand until it's over. 

I think we'll get smashed, so we will probably win.

We will be Beating Cocks

Iwobi scores twice as Argentia lose 2-4 to Nigeria

Imagine what the score would of been if Obafemi Martins was playing. 

I hope we win. 

I'd be tempted to start Giroud and Lacazette and bench Sanchez. Make it super clear that between being out of form and not signing a new contract he isn't going to be starting a lot. 

looks like giroud is in doubt for this match. not sure whats wrong, but hes been rated as 50/50 to play. 

good first half. Still lots to do including GX not getting sent off. Bring Jack on for him?