January 9 - 5:30pm: vs Newcastle (Emirates FA Cup) - BBC one January 9 - 12:30pm: vs Newcastle (Emirates FA Cup) - ESPN+ January 9 - 12:30pm: vs Newcastle (Emirates FA Cup) - (Can't find who is showing it in Canada) January 10 - 4:30am: vs Newcastle (Emirates FA Cup) - Bein Sports/Foxsports Well, what a change goals and wins makes to a club. 2 weeks ago we were talking relegation battles, couldn't buy a goal from open play, Arteta getting sacked, selling Laca for 5p and a bottle of water, and trying to finish top 6 in the Championship. Play the kids we cried, and look what happens. We now face Newcastle in an FA Cup match, where I hope we rest our kids and leave them to tear it up in the PL and EL, and use the FA Cup to try and run Auba back into form, and let guys like Willian, Pepe and Mustafi just run around here where they can't really do us any damage. Hopefully we keep the good times rolling, and get the W here and defend our cup. Special mention to Rob Holding getting his first Arsenal Premier League assist on the Tierney goal COME ON ARSENAL!
We should beat them handily because even though they are ok defensively, we now have a set up to pen them in Mari is standing out as a quality player. We need to see him and Gabriel as a pairing
Brace yourselves, Johnson adressing the nation at 8pm, we could be going into a full national lockdown again. I don't know where that will leave football.
Thanks for that heads-up. A week ago, my assumption was that the EPL (in league with the government) just wanted to get through the Festive Fixtures period, with all of the implied TV money, and then seriously evaluate a pause. Which would very likely go better (and shorter?) than the first pause last Spring, but which would still be very disruptive to team training/fitness/etc... not to mention income. It will be interesting to see if health is placed above wealth this time. I was pretty surprised when Johnson decided to announce the Covid B117 outbreak which instantly made the UK persona non grata in terms of international travel & trade. Assuming they were smart enough to know that was the likely outcome, then it indicates a level of ballsiness, openness and adherence to scientific/factual advice that had been lacking before. And if that's true, then a more dramatic nationwide lockdown, which would affect even the sacred cow that is the EPL, could indeed be coming. p.s. You asked how are things in other countries. In the USA, although mask-wearing has increased, there is far from 100% compliance. And there are many too many cognitive disconnects between the still developing health risks and the collective desire to operate as if things are normal. Which includes going to movie theaters, restaurants, ongoing college & pro sports leagues, etc, etc.
I put it here just to let you all know that football may be stalled for a while. Ergo, Our next fixture may not happen, which just happens to be this thread.
No worries. Your heads-up about BoJo was good and appreciated. That's why I repped it. The more off-topic discsussion that followed by Chjoak, me & others (including mask debate) was just a response to what I recall was a question by you about how are things in other countries. But now I don't see that question in this thread so maybe it was actually asked in a different thread? In which it's all on ME for driving this thread off the tracks!
Well, it was a general question about sport in other countries as we were having matches postpones. I've noticed that threads in other sections don't always get resonses anyway, probably because nobody looks at them! Anyway, we are in full lockdown, but no mention of sports being cancelled so for now it goes ahead. I wouldn't be surprised to see it called off though.
On the one hand, devastated for a lack of football. On the other hand, my match day streak is going to last a loooooooooooong time.
I was looking at the old match threads and our opponents have been Bird Bird This one Bird and the next two are Bird Bird
Arteta wanted Gabriel and Mari because he wanted left footed CBs to pair with right footed CBs, I.e. he wanted to provide a balance to passing out of the back. Do you really imagine he is use two left footed CBs To destroy the balance he deems important to playing out of the back. in addition, the defending Mari has had to do to date was largely dealing with balls in the air, which he is quite good at. I’m yet to be convinced he can deal with dribblers and late runners into the box. It was Sterling after all that nearly broke his ankle.
Lots of pictures of Partey posted today at Arsenal continue Emirates FA Cup preparations | Gallery | News | Arsenal.com, including this one I found particularly inspiring (imagine these 2 linking up in our spine)...
Yeah but Saints and Devils don't actually exist, and Portuguese Wolves aren't as dangerous as the ones in North America. That said the Devil does love a penalty.
Team News: Gabriel is symptom-free from his Covid infection so they're advertising him as available. Partey is training but not back to full match fitness yet, so he might be iffy... perhaps he'll make the bench? https://www.arsenal.com/news/team-news-latest-gabriel-and-partey
I am happy with Partey getting minutes as long as its risk free. Throw him in with 10 minutes to go if we are up. But if there is even 1% chance of reinjuring himself, don't play him. We need him for the rest of the season.
You're probably taking the piss with this post, but it wouldn't surprise me at all if matches were cancelled soon, the Covid situation here in the UK is terrible, especially in London and footballers are going down like flies with positive Covid tests. This fixture will not tbe cancelled though, however, It is going to be bitterly cold, but not snowing. Gloves on!!!
No Partey. Tierney plays again, I'd like to see him get a rest. And what does AMN need to do to play? Willian gets a shot at playing the ESR role, I guess. No Balogun, Nketiah on the bench, Auba starts up top. 🚨 Seven changes from West Brom...⛔️ Cedric and David Luiz start🤝 Elneny partners Willock⚡️ Nico, Willian, Gabi, Auba in attack#EmiratesFACup— Arsenal (@Arsenal) January 9, 2021
An... interesting(?) lineup. If the defense holds it should be enough to win, pending how much Newcastle puts into this affair.