Having lost to Man City on Sunday in the Carabao Cup final, Arsenal take on Pep Guardiola’s side again tomorrow in the Premier League.
It’s not exactly the ideal opponent after such a disappointment at Wembley, but it is what it is and we have to get on with it.
Arsene Wenger faced the press this morning and provided the latest team news update.
The Gunners will be without Nacho Monreal who forced off during the first half on Sunday
“He’s out for the two games, this weekend, and Thursday to Sunday he’s certainly out,” said Wenger.
“He might be out for two more, Milan, and maybe even one more. He has an inflamed back, a disc problem.
“Everyone else is fit.”
It’s now down to the manager to get a response from players who were unquestionably below par in the last game against the same opposition.
Arsenal lie 10 points behind the top four with just 10 Premier League games remaining.
I feel really bad, but I just wished that I cared any more. Sorry Arsene.
If you call yourself a fan, you will care and support the team even if it’s crap and relegated…
I care passionately about the team, just not the manager. He’s had twenty years of my ‘caring’. Sorry.
We do care that’s why we say we don’t because that’s the only way to show our frustration at what has been a frustrated season, to be honest it’s been a decade of frustration, but deep down it’s Arsenal 4ever we’re just powerless to make the necessary change.
You do realise we’ll probably win this game now, right? Aub will score a brace, Jack will have a worldie, Cech will stop a penalty and everyone will be talking about turning corners. It’s just the Arsenal way.
Ha ha, yes, probably. That’s part of the frustration. Wenger bangs on about consistency, but where the hell is it?
we are consistent in patches
Not this time..this season everything is going downhill, so i guess we wont see any surprises..but at least there will be no more false hope after this..
Blinded and feeling numb from all the pain our manager and players have been giving us..
But COYG!!! We have the home advantage and I’m hoping we can subdue their attack. Our own attacking threat is our massive strength, looking forward to Mkhi Ozil and Auba having something up their sleeves. would be delighted with a 1-0 to us or even a fighting 0-0
Perfect time to play a great game, show City and the world how good we are.
Oh no, that was on Sunday…
If this team weren’t motivated for a cup final, what can we expect tomorrow! Perhaps a Mikhitarian-Aubameyang may add some fire and build on what was an inept, impotent and placid attempt on Sunday.
You can still expect xhaka to play. You can expect him to turn our corners into thier throw ins.
You can expect him to not to track back and let city’s midfield walk through us at will.
And you can expect Wenger to pick him the very next game we play regardless ..sad days
8 points below fifth and 8 points above 7th with a game in hand (which we are unlikely to win tomorrow…).
We have our own little Arsenal league bubble for this season that I can’t see us moving from.
Season practically over in the league, nothing much to see here.
Yeah, as a result it’s a game I’d love to see at least one youngster start. I’d play AMN instead of Xhaka who, let’s face it, if nothing else, is just so bereft of form. I’d also make sure Nelson and Eddie made the bench at the expense of Welbeck and Elneny. I know it sounds mad, but these are the only players I can see really making an effort who have a point to prove.
10 points behind with 11 games remaining..
Would like to see Nacho get completely fit and back on his game we will miss him.
It’s looking rather strange that wenger gave up playing our tank and now he’s needed but looks rusty and a rusty tank might be a problem against this city team.
Maybe if we win all of our next ten games we will have a chance of finishing in the top four with a game still in hand. Not happening aye?
I don’t think we have won even three matches on the trot this season.. what are we going to win ten matches in a row?
Lose and it only confirms that the squad and tactics aren’t strong enough and Wenger should go. Win and it only confirms that we’re so mentally weak that we couldn’t rise to the occasion in a cup final, and Wenger should go. A draw gets you a little from column A and a little from column B. It’s a lose-lose situation really.
Game has a draw written all over it, Man City will probably let us have it out of sympathy.
I agree. I remember a game against Leeds in the seventies in the League Cup, we won 7-0 and the following Saturday we played them in the league, 0-0 and the usual boring fare.
It’s often shay happens when you play the same team.
Pep will show no mercy
If Wenger dont feel he is the cause of all these, sorry i cant feel as well.
Good luck to Nacho, I’ve had spinal problems for over 30 years, a small injury which turned out to have a huge impact on me, so let’s hope his injury is minor and clears up quickly.
Assaulted by the vile Walker, wasn’t he? Will miss his attitude. Get well soon, Nacho.
Another game, another loss. It doesn’t matter who is or isn’t available.
Just wishing Arsene will become unavailable permanently soon…
‘Monreal is out for two games, he could then be out for another two games, and then another two games after that, and so on and so forth’
“Boohoo I’ve turned down many clubs” – Jesus Christ Arsene, you haven’t turned down another team since PSG came knocking in 2011.
Comfartably numb. I´m really sorry to confide, but I will be enjoying watching Pep´s side playing the “Arsenal way”
does that mean Lacazette is fit ?
he says things these days and you wonder which side of the mouth
French man with an African Leader mentality. The blame is now at the door step of Kroenke and his associates.
What’s wrong with African leaders. Blame is in all directions : 1) Wenger is responsible but… 2) Players need to also balls up. 3) Director of Football team have bought poorly in January. No consideration to current needs in squad and balance. 4) Sure Kroenke can get more involved but do you really want an American who has only a foggy idea of the game wading into matters he doesn’t fully understand? In that context he has done well to keep out of it. 5) Coaching staff is antiquated. Our systemic issues have not been resolved. For all the reputation… Read more »
Does this game actually means anything to us? City already won the league, and there’s no way we’re getting top 4. I wish I could say that our guys will play for the badge and pride but we all know that’s very unlikely.
That’s alright cos we have Welbeck to propel us to europa glory.
Great idea selling Giroud, buying a player cup tied for europa who can’t put it in from 2 yards and needs “service”.
even a win on Sunday which is unlikely will never lift the gloom, the pain is actually is in the manner we a lost a final, a cup final, you wonder how we got there the first time
Well we beat Chelsea didn’t we?
Anything can happen in the cup final.
Fact is City are in top form this season and we have clear systemic issues (not to mention we have not reinforced properly in January)
…not that surprising.
can we really have the scenario where not performing players are listed for sale as well as non performing managers, you assume that a modern day Arsenal Fc deserve a HYBRID MANAGER.. one who exemplifies every thing we want at arsenal, every thing we deserve.
What is hybrid? What nonsense are you babbling? Who do you want to get rid of? Who is non performing? The whole team is non performing at the moment. Do you want to get rid of Mustafi and Granit? Because Mustafi is (unfortunately) about our best Cback at the moment. Holding, Chambers are even less. Should we get rid of all 3? Granit is poor but Elneny is mediocre? Are we City that we can get rid of half the team and then spend on quality thereafter knowing there are 7 or 8 teams who have financial clout and allure… Read more »
You know what? There is no way our midfield would have been as pedestrian as it was had the Coq been playing!! Yes I know he was far from the class player we should be expecting but can you imagine him at any point walking back? I think not.
I mentioned when Flamini was around that he was providing us far better security (with Ramsey at that) then many believed at the time. Coquelin when he returned to the team that season was responsible (with Ramsey) for letting in 14 goals in 7 straight matches. So we sold Coquelin but what riles me is we then get distracted by Mslintat trying to add his ex- Dortmund charges unecessarily and we ignore both defense and midfield. At least one of those areas needed reinforcement in January…not another striker that ‘needs service’ but when he gets his chance is unable to… Read more »
The same people who had a moan about Flamini should do well to think we were in a better position with him in midfield than we were when he left and Coquelin (supposedly a better player) left at our disposal. Now those same simplistic voices want to point the finger at Granit and Mustafi. There always has to be a scapegoat after all. BUT Granit for all his faults is still one of the better options in midfield when you consider the half baked AMN in similar position against Ostersunds and the mediocre Elneny (albeit its debatable if Granit is… Read more »
You’re making some good points, Santori. If Aguero was onside on the goal kick, one or both of the other backs were keeping him on. Maybe Mustafi thought he was following the script by being “wrong side” of Aguero, and it was Chambers or Kos that ruined the offside trap. When I saw Chambers out there, I knew we were in trouble. DM has been an issue forever. Maybe this is a case of a new manager tweaking the system to play to our players’ strengths rather than panic buying a Kante. AMN is never going to be Santi Cazorla,… Read more »
In other news… Spurs versus Rochdale…COYR
I care deeply whether we do well or not, but also have much lower expectations now going into matches which is what depresses me the most. Even now if we play a great match and have a good result I can’t get too excited as I know the next match could be a totally different story. The end of the season was always our time to put that run together to ensure at minimum champions league qualification and also some FA cup runs to look forward to, but now the top 4 is probably out of the question without a… Read more »
I see the game isn’t sold out, proves no one can be arsed anymore. I can’t even be arsed to go and I have a season ticket. £65 down the toilet but an evening of my life saved.
I literally cannot take any more of watching Wenger’s Arsenal. Just when you think things can’t get any worse, you’re proven wrong. Our form right now is relegation form.
How did you see that? Did you see the snow or the fans who do not live in North London and have to be at work on Friday morning?
So, I presume this means Mustafi will be on the field again?
What is happening in arsenal is a self inflicted pain,what are these lads doing in the first team defence Mustafi,Rob,and Calum Sham..even Mo El somebody help me