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

got mates over for a week who are massive gooners, so got us all tickets to Palace at home and Everton away.  Was just a shame that they got Besitkas (sp) away as a home fixture, or an easier to get to away one would have given them 3 games in the week they are here.

Good effort Francis.

Feel free to continue in your role as Gooner Good Luck Charm

Nice. How'd you manage the Everton away?

girl at work is a season ticket holder who hooked me up with a guy who hooked me up with a guy. I am meeting him to actually swap the tickets/cash on Saturday so until that actually happens and I have the tickets in my hot little hands, I am still a little suspect on the whole thing.

Hoping it is not too hot on Saturday as I have to wear my natty, lucky pink jumper to games now.

I still maintain the easiest way is applying through the NZ based fan club, got 4 class A tickets for the NLD with ease.

I never have any real problems getting tickets for home games when I am organised enough - managed to get 4 together for the Palace game, all using Red memberships

holy fek, Tony Pubis has quit Palace just 48 hours before kick off!!!

Widespread reports that Pulis has quit Palace overnight. 

So upon reflection this is pretty close to what we'll probably see, except it seems we've had a slight change in our formation if the pre-season is anything to go by. With Ozil not ready, it looks like Arsene has tweaked things to allow Wilshere and Ramsey to share the attacking burden and we're playing without someone sitting specifically in the 10 role. Sort of a 4-1-4-1. In the community shield it seemed that wilshere and ramsey had turns pushing forward, and sanchez and cazorla also had turns at coming inside and looking to play passes. A bit of a sharing around of the creative burden, a lot of movement, and only Arteta sitting deep. With that in mind, as well as Koscielny apparently being passed fit, I think we'll see;

                      Szczesny

Debuchy-Chambers-Koscielny-Gibbs

                        Arteta

 Sanchez-Ramsey-Wilshere-Cazorla

                        Giroud

Definitely prefer this one with Ozil out.

Paul's line up looks good

I will not miss Tony Pulis

Expecting us to start with a statemnt. Going to be a big season.

shirts are 25% off this weekend at Rebel

=$90.00. Think they only have home S/S

Yup, I am hoping so too foal. 

My horrendous gambling during the world cup has primed me for losing more money. Put $10 on each of Giroud and Alexis to get golden boot. Hahaha. So they better start big. 

Good luck with that Hawk. As a general rule though I don't bet on my own team's games. I don't bet much, but the few times I have bet on Arsenal we've lost. I only really do it for major tournaments though and my World Cup was abysmal. Started with $50 and ended with $17 (thought it was almost $0 but just logged in and still got $17 in there). Only bet I won was Brazil to beat Chile on penalties. Might have the odd flutter this season but staying away from Arsenal games!

Bit of a shock about Pulis but glad to see him go. Presumably he'll pick up the next job that comes up though, maybe West Ham.

Nice, I paid $110 at Football Central. Had a look in Rebel Cuba Street yesterday at lunch time and they had the short sleeve home shirt, and one of the new polo shirts, a t-shirt with the large crest on the front and a red cap with the crest on the front and Puma on the back. They also had these indoor football boots:

Would have bought them on the spot to accompany the outdoor boots I got but am not currently playing indoor.

If the part in bold happens, I am just packing this whole thing in.

Heh. Don't worry, could be Moyes instead.

Great season preview from Arseblog (with whom I agree wholeheartedly):

http://arseblog.com/2014/08/arseblog-season-previe...

Just over 24 hours until the season kicks off for the arse, can't fucking wait.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/watch-...

Bit surprising at age 29, but may aswell go out at the very top.

Thanks to AJC for the heads up, picked up a pair of the trainers at RS in the Hutt for $90... 30% off sale ftw!

Nice one.

Any Arsenal shirts SQ?

Went to Ricarton last night and they had none. Bastards.

Did get lovely tennis shoes

Is the Champions League qualifier on NZTV?

If so what time and channel

Bought a laptop and hdmi cable so hoping to hook up plp tonight

Not that I could see in the Hutt... just Adidas ones on sale... odd.

foal30 yep, 6.30am ESPN on wednesday

thanks Paul.

You going to use the shoes for indoor football or just as trainers?

Trainers ftw! The soles are white so they look ok.

Squad update for tonight, Diaby is back & Koscielny is likely. The germans are still out, as are Gnabry, Walcott, and Ospina.

The key contentions for start are in midfield & up front, i.e. Rosicky vs Wilshere, and Giroud vs Sanogo.

It means we'll still have Monreal, Diaby, Oxlaide-Chamberlain, Flamini on the bench, plus two of the above. 

Solid solid squad.

EDIT: Plus of course Joel Campbell.

ok plp is hooked up

Here's hoping it works for the morning

Nice. Did they have many in store? Tempted to go have a look tomorrow now with the discount this weekend.

Tea , toast and Arsenal! Its good to be back!

3 points on the board...yeehaa!

top of the league!

Brilliant to get the three points after playing so ordinarily. Ramsey is going to rack up the points this season.

That match was hard. Arsenal vs 11 men and the ghost of Pulis. Ironic how we won it from two set pieces

tough ol game that one. our first goal was a peach! happy we got the win. 

I wasnt sold on the new kit when I saw it, but now that Ive seen it in action a few times, I'm completely sold. Off to get my hands on one today!