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

Oh sh*t that is good!

Best part is the battering we gave Chelsea in that game too!

Looks like Bellerin & Monreal are being rested, Cazorla, Perez, and Walcott still injured.

Would start with

                   Sanchez

Iwobi           Ozil            The Ox

         Xhaka    Coquellin

Gibbs   Kosc   Mustafi    Jenkinson

                    Ospina

Try get a couple early on the board before subbing Kosc, Sanchez, and Ozil for the weekends action.

I like that brumbys, although I'd consider Elneny in midfield, he's playing well and seems to be the type of player that grows with consecutive starts. 

Could also try starting Giroud, and rest Sanchez for the weekend. 

Also, great positive piece here on F365 from Sarah Winterburn - I do think she's their best writer by some distance;

http://www.football365.com/news/falling-in-love-wi...

Elneny/Coquellin are much of a muchness for me. Felt Coquelin has been on form lately but agree could be good trying to get more out of Elneny while we have room for him. I get nervous at the thought of starting Giroud/Ramsey already, maybe after some sub appearances in the NLD they'll be ready for it. Or I'm over analysing/being protective.

Does anyone else get the sense that injuries are less of a possible drama this season? Like if we lost Sanchez I'd back Giroud to come in and cover him/most of his goals. If we lost Ozil I'd back Ramsey/Cazorla to step up and create/score a few too. I feel like the squad is so brimming with talent we shouldn't be as dependent on Ozil/Sanchez as we used to - and the result is both of them are stepping up their game.

I like our line up today...

                     Ospina

Jenkinson-Mustafi-Koscielny-Gibbs

             Coquelin-Xhaka

          Ramsey-Ozil-Sanchez

                     Giroud

I edit my tip accordingly. 

Bit surprised to see both Giroud and Ramsey start.

Do you mean for the whole season? Or any of it?

even if it were for a month i think we would suffer, but the longer either were out, the slimmer our chances would become. 

BOOM

what a finish from Ozil there

magic

I could watch that Ozil goal over and over again. Such sublime skill and first touch. I was screaming "Shoot" as he casually rounded two defenders and slotted it home.

I'd love to see an angle showing how he managed to stay onside as I was certain the flag was going to go up as soon as he touched the ball from the pass.

Absolute genius

Last two games have seen some very un-arsenal performances. 

We've had many games in the last few years like Sunderland away where we've led, dominated, missed chances, had a bad ref call, and then conceded, eventually drawing or losing the game. But this time we responded beautifully and just clicked through the gears and smashed them.

We've had a few champions league games against lesser teams where we badly went behind, and weren't able to recover, even if we did sometimes come back well in 2nd legs etc. But this time, 2-0 down, we fought and fought and eventually won. 

Loving this desire, and backbone. Squad depth is a big reason for it - the guys coming in are carving up, straight off the bat. 

Walcott, Bellerin and to a lesser extent Cazorla have been red hot this season, yet we've hardly missed them at all. 

Here's a grainy clip of it from youtube. If you pause just right you can see he actually did stay onside, the timing was perfect.

I wondered if Ozil's extra goal-scoring this season had come from Sanchez moving up top, and the way they play together, with Ozil moving to lead the line when Sanchez drops deep, but we saw this morning that Ozil was still running beyond even when Giroud was playing, and without Walcott there as well. 

Ozil is really playing like Bergkamp now, almost making us a 4-4-2. It's so awesome. 

Clubs #1 priority is to extend Ozil's contract. 

If, has been alluded, Wenger is the stumbling block then sign him for another 2 year contract. 

Time to bash those Cocks. They need a loss  so they don't get any Unbeaten Season notions.

That Ozil goal. Wow. Breathtaking.  

The vision of the guy is extraordinary. To take that goal, that way, just madness. 

99.99999999% of footballers would've attempted a really tough chip to score when the keeper was bearing down on them. 

But not Mesut. He knows what to do. With aplomb. 

The balance, the poise, the grace, the audacity. Unf*ckingbelievable. Bloody nice to see that from a great footballer. Nicer still when they play for your team.

Love this picture. Look at the mess he's made of them.

New wallpaper

That touch over the keeper was astonishing. Can't stop watching it. I admit when he got past the keeper and the defenders I got back I was screaming "just put it in the fudgeing net!" Needed the replay to fully appreciate the skill.

Sp*rs lost this morning and are now 3rd on their table for getting out of the group. 

They also subbed off Demebele early on; with Sissoko suspended while Alderweild is most likely out & Kane/Lamela are possibly out too.

Our injury list is longer but Bellerin is probably the only player I'm most worried about not having back as we can cover Cazorla & Walcott through Ramsey & Girouds return.

So we win our CL group and then draw Atheltico, Bayern or Real eh?

If that's true, then this?

                      Cech

Bellerin-Mustafi-Koscielny-Monreal

              Xhaka-Cazorla

          Walcott-Ozil-Iwobi

                   Sanchez

Could push Sanchez left and start Giroud. 

Also Ramsey, Ox, Coquelin, Elneny and Gibbs would all be hard done by if we picked that team.

So much competition for places now!

Our bench will be amazeballs too. 

They had the 4-2 from 2008 on bein sports as the classic match for this week. Still find it weird how the ref blew for full time in the 88th minute. Fired me up for Monday. Hope we smash the fudgeers.

I don't remember this game Buffy.  4-4 and some 5-2 but not 4-2???

Wish the ref had blew at the 88th minute in the 4-4.

That prompted me to watch a quick youtube clip of the 4-4. 

Sheesh... almunia... he let in a lot of saveable stuff back in the day didn't he 

Clichy on I think the last goal (haven't rewatched it since) gave me nightmares. When you're one goal up deep into injury time and under pressure in your own half you hoof the ball up the fudgeing pitch. They can't score if it's up their end.

What's this 4-4 you're all talking about?

Reckon it's sounding like Bellerin, Walcott and Monreal will be fit, but Cazorla won't be, from what Wenger's saying. 

Going on form and Wenger's apparent preferences this season, I am probably expecting;

                      Cech

Bellerin-Mustafi-Koscielny-Monreal

             Elneny-Coquelin

           Walcott-Ozil-Iwobi

                   Sanchez

Perhaps Ox challenges Iwobi on the left, but  Wenger always likes to have a more technical player on one side, rather than two wingers. 

Sounds like Bellerin will sign a new contract. 

That would be awesome news given the Barca/M.City interest.

Now tie down Ozil and Sanchez to new deals please. 

brumbies Hawk Paul don't forget your tips as its a 3 game special...

We top with a win in the morning, here we go.

I think Cazorla is still in our 4 most important players - Kosc, Ozil, Sanchez and Santi. I really hope he plays against the Spuds. He makes our midfield tick. It's not the same with any of the others in there, though they do a servicable job.

Don't know whether to sleep before it or end up completely monged at work tomorrow.

Fudge it's a huge game.

I go for the miss it live and then watch it on fullmatchesandshows at work

Would normally stay up for a game as big as this, but sick as a dog so probably not a great idea!