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

Saw a rumour that wenger may rest sanchez

Not sure of validity

I'd be ok with that, give Perez a chance, Sanchez needs to rest some time. 

Are we not on bein?

it's on pop up 3

take that

I need a "hopeful eagle" photo

Poor concession by Granit but TBF Theo got a gift as well. Iwobi, Mustafi, Bellerin all good games. 

Hope Liverpoll smash the CBC's

Awesome vine from the crowd of ozil's goal;

https://twitter.com/ArsenalCentral/status/78738961...

At least we broke the shark run against Swansea. 

Parts of that performance were excellent yet other parts were fudgeing shambolic. Ozil's goal was an absolute gem though.

Need to make the most of this run of home games.

Some of the passing, especially in the first half, was fantastic. We are gelling nicely a lot of the time in attack. The technical quality from front to back has to just about be the best in wenger's reign. The entire back four are quality on the ball, and the xhaka/cazorla/ozil midfield is frankly ridiculous. 

We just shot ourselves in the foot at a few key moments - Xhaka's error to give them the first goal was more significant than the red card for me. We were all over them, scoreline could've blown out early if we'd been able to keep up the momentum, but that stunned us. 

Mixed feelings about the red card decision. Should be a yellow really, any day of the week, but I'd probably be fine if they started giving reds for that sort of cynicism all the time, makes my blood boil when other teams do it against us. 

Yeah fully agree. No chance it's a red card. Games gone soft as shark.

Yeah the red was amazing as far I was concerned. Wasn't a dangerous tackle, just really cynical. And in a game where Walcott's not getting a free kick for the hands in the face when he's through on goal I really did find the referee's ruling a bit baffling. Cynical fouls should, unless dangerous, be a yellow card by their very nature - but a red when it's inside their own half? Can we appeal it?

Oh, and gentleman, let us pause and reflect quietly on the fact that we're now 2nd, with only goal difference keeping City ahead of us. Bit of a turn around from August!

I kinda thought it was a justified red - I thought of it as kicking out, he didn't make any attempt to play the ball or even look like he was going for the ball.

If he kicked out like that at a player off-the-ball, it would be an instant red.

Is it a "consistent" red card? No.

Is it exactly the sort of foul I'd like to see cracked down on? Yes. 

Yeah, I thought Wenger's 'dark yellow' call was pretty spot on.

Either way, it was dumb.

Thoughts of this for Ludogrets?

                 Ospina

Bellerin Mustafi Koscielny Gibbs

        Coquellin Xhaka

The Ox    Ozil      Sanchez

             Perez

Hard to find the balance of appropriate rotation while still kicking a$$.

Would give Koscielny a rest. Looked visibly tired in the Swansea game.

Fixed :-)

Ospina

Bellerin Mustafi Holding Gibbs

Elneny Xhaka

Walcott Ozil Iwobi

Perez

IMO

Yeah like the look of that. About time for Perez to get some time surely. Similarly for Gibbs. Monreal has been getting roasted this season.

Gibbs, Elneny, Holding, Ox, Lucas, probably all deserve a start soon, they've all done fairly well this season when given the opportunity.

Gabriel probably needs to blow out some cobwebs after coming back from injury too. 

I guess it's just about weighing up rest/rotation versus not disrupting our recent form. 

Right back is a wee bit of a concern, with Debuchy injured (or just frozen out now?), and Jenkinson only just back from a long-term injury. Bellerin will have to start again. 

I'd probably go with a lot of rests to be honest, and back the rest of the lads to get the win at home. Would still keep Xhaka in though, since he's out of the next 3 domestic fixtures, and I'd love to see Iwobi given a crack in the no.10 role. 

Yea Monreal has had a few moments this season, multiple wingers have given him the runaround, you would think that Gibbs must be close to getting that spot off him. 

Healthy competition in the squad these days. 

Although when he has been getting done he hasn't been getting a lot of support. I definitely think teams know that Iwobi isn't getting back as much as he should & that Bellerin/Walcott have locked down the right side so they're targeting it.

Interesting start to the game. Under a lot of pressure, mainly playing on the counter attack. Wonderful chipped finish from sanchez has us 1-0 up.

4 changes from the last game, Ospina, Gibbs, Coquelin and the Ox in for Cech, Monreal, Xhaka and Iwobi. 

2-0 at HT.

Awesome finish from Walcott for the 2nd, defenders stood off him, so took a touch and banged it in from outside the box. 

Ludogorets have actually been pretty excellent, had good chances, a lot of ball, put us under a heap of pressure. Game has been end to end, they definitely could've/should've had a couple of goals.

We should've had a third too, Ox's pass for Walcott was a shocker, shoulda been a tap-in. 

Both goals were superbly taken. Credit to Sanchez and Walcott especially, fantastic strikes. 

Bit lapse at the back at times there though. Ludogorets have been decent but they shouldn't be causing as many problems as they are.

Ludogorets are certainly no bunnies and the 2-0 scoreline is slightly flattering for us. Great finish by Alexis for the first goal and yes, Theo should've had a tap in from the Ox. The defence has looked a bit exposed at times which is a worry. Luckily Ospina has been quick off his line to save us a few times.

Looking pretty crash hot now

4-0, with Walcott, Cazorla and Sanchez all subbed off in readiness for the weekend. 

5-0 suits me tips?

Ox looks good

I was watching on and off on my phone at work, man we looked bloody good.

Obviously helped that Ludogorets came to play, rather than sit deep and defend. And they did ask us a lot of questions, Kosc and Mustafi both made a couple of uncharacteristic errors but had their blushes saved by a pretty outstanding Ospina. 

11-3 might have been fair. 

Pay Ozil whatever he asks. That Ozil-Sanchez-Ox volley move was pretty good. 

From F365;

"Talk about “luxury”. Wenger was discussing an Arsenal squad for whom Olivier Giroud would make the most Premier League appearances (38) last season. Per Mertesacker would rank 11th in that regard. That pair, as well as the whole squad, has been upgraded significantly in the space of one summer. Sanchez has been moved to improve on Giroud. Mustafi is a drastic improvement on Mertesacker. Xhaka has come in for Jack Wilshere. Rob Holding has taken Calum Chambers’ place. And Walcott 2.0 has replaced both his previous model and Joel Campbell.

A single glance at the Arsenal bench at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday evening told the whole story: Petr Cech, one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League; Nacho Monreal, one of the most accomplished left-backs; Gabriel, a fine back-up centre-half; Mohamed Elneny, a capable midfield option; Granit Xhaka, the club’s third biggest signing ever; Alex Iwobi, one of the most promising youngsters in England; Lucas Perez, purchased for £17million this summer. Game-changers, players of supreme quality, stars who all offer something different. Luxury."

This needs quoting.

Thought Ox did well today. He should of had 2 assists in his cameo on the weekend. Given his public uttering so around game time it's nice too see some end product.

We look pretty good. Home win this weekend would be great and opportunities for others to slip up. 

What I saw in the first half from the Ox wasn't ideal. His pass to Walcott summed up how out of from he is, a square ball across the face of goal for a tap in is critical to be able to deliver...

Ox was just usual Ox for me - some good, some bad; the bad would've cost us against a better side.

Theo could've had a hat trick too.

Very surprised not to see Xhaka considering his forced rest. Bit silly, and now it looks like Santi is injured.  Cazorla makes us tick, and was visibly tired in the first half. Very bad management by Wenger, imo.

watched the Sanchez chip again this morning...just ... the timing... the execution... stunning. 

Not a positive result for us. Cech earned his wages. No Santi is still a problem for us. 

Wednesday morning v Reading. Maybe Lucas and Giroud start.