When: Sunday, December 16 at 8:30 EST Where: that place where the titanic left TV: NBC Gold The streak continues. I was a bit worried about us losing the throw away game, but Emery seems keen on getting minutes for first team players no matter how pointless the result is so that helped me I’m a little worried about Southampton. Not really because they are good, but with a new manager at home I expect them to work hard. We have looked a little rusty since the spurs match and defensively we will be without our three most relied on CB if the season. We’ve already won as many away matches as last season iirc, so 3 points here would mark an significant improvement over last season with half a season left to play.
That’s an embarrassing stat for wenger apologist @mebeSajid Emery > wenger Tough game but a 3-1 win Late goal from a substitute Auba opens they equalise at half time (standard) then we bang 2 in the second half
Wow, that was a pretty normal Match day thread opening post. Things must be going better with the Bambino I guess. For some reason I am not concerned about this away trip to the south coast. Which in itself perhaps is concerning?
Ya, now that the wifey has fully recovered from the birth, we are finding a groove. Still hard, but I’ve got some time to do important things like start matchday threads and watch pointless midweek Europa league matches.
No Gold, so no go. I'll just have to settle for the NBCSN scorebug in the top right, this is bullshit, WTF Gold??? We're too good to be relegated to Gold, especially with our now-22 game unbeaten streak (in all competitions), who's in charge of programming on NBC/Comcast, and what is CNBC showing during this match, they should have it there instead of me being gouged out of 50 bucks/year for what add up to only 5-6 Arsenal matches a year, and, you have to have a TV carrier (such as DISH) just to be able to watch it, so you get double-gouged!!! BTW, this Saturday night I will be opening as AK47 for autistic Seattle rapper (real name Alexander Hubbard, and he is damn good so don't let his autism fool you) Fantasy A, and it just might be the last time I perform "Arsenal" live, as the song (written and recorded during the 2014-15 season) is severely outdated as the second verse contains our roster from that year and except for Mesut Ozil and Aaron Ramsey (who both might not be here next season) all the players on that 2014-15 squad mentioned in that second verse are no longer with the club. ...and yes I will be wearing my current Arsenal home kit while performing it, underneath my Raiders garb I normally wear onstage, and then jut reveal my Gunner best for that song.
In that 2nd verse, here are the players mentioned and their eventual fates: Olivier Giroud - sold to Chelsea during the 2017-18 January transfer window. Alexis Sanchez - sold to Manchester United, also during the 2017-18 January transfer window, Mesut Ozil - still under contract with Arsenal, Lukas Podolski - left after the 2015-16 season (contract expired), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (The Ox) - sold to Liverpool during the 2017-18 summer transfer window, Tomas Rosicky - left the club after 10 seasons proudly donning the Red & White, Aaron Ramsey - still under contract with Arsenal, in which expires at season's end, Santi Cazorla - Left the club after last season on a free transfer to Villlareal, Theo Walcott - sold to Everton during the 2017-18 January transfer window. This explains why this song will be retired soon.
Back 4, but not sure if it’s Koscielny and Lichtsteiner or Koscielny and Monreal (with Licht on the left). Think I’d prefer the former. Leno, Bellerin, Lichsteiner, Koscielny, Monreal, Xhaka, Guendouzi, Torreira, Mkhitaryan, Iwobi, Aubameyang Subs: Cech, Maitland-Niles, Elneny, Ramsey, Ozil, Lacazette, Nketiah
They're saying back 3! And a very makeshift one at that!! Xhaka in center, flanked by Lichsteiner and Koscielny. Crossing fingers [emoji120] Edit: clearly Kos is center and Xhaka on left. That's more logical!
Using a less than ideal stream for Lord knows what source. Team is definitely trying to find its legs, both in terms of shape and apparently firness/inspiration for the day. Giving up possession way too easily in the defensive half, allowing S'oton lot of shot opportunities.
Nice to hear Jon Champion on the call this morning. He'll be missed next season when he moves to the USA to do the MLS games for ESPN.
Fvck! Danny Ings again. Over Kos again. [emoji20] Edit: and to top it all off Hector has picked up a knock. Leading to a very rare 45th minute substitution Edit2: they wouldn't let him bring on AMN quickly enough so Emery decided against it. We'll have to see at the start of 2T.
Good grief. 2-1, because we can't close out a half. I think Arsenal have been out shot by an order of 2-1.
Kos is definitely a step (or three) slow and you can tell it's his first time working with Lichtsteiner. Central mids could do more to stifle Saints' possession and help the D, too.
Color me unimpressed. Three ffing shots in the half. A lot of dry possession with very little creativity.