And then there were three!
As the season winds its way to its terrifying exciting do or die conclusion this Monday night will see The Arsenal play their final home game of the season against Burnley. To be honest this is one of the easier previews I have ever had to write, everything that needs to be said has been said at varying lengths already. Firstly, Sky’s usual pig-ignorant disregard of the match-going fans (no surprise!), secondly our options at right-back (I will be surprised if Mosquera doesn’t start) and thirdly the need to maintain focus on one game at a time (of all things, a Japanese doctor provided me with a timely example of complacency just this week!). On we go then to our starting XI…………
The Arsenal XI
Raya
Mosquera Saliba Gabriel Hincapié
Rice Lewis-Skelly
Saka Ødegaard Eze
Gyökeres
This is the XI that I believe Mikel will start. Personally, I would start Havertz up front, and would also include Leo on the left. No doubt others amongst our Holic community will have their own thoughts. Basically, I wouldn’t argue with any of them because in the cold light of er… Monday night, we should certainly have more than enough defensive strength and attacking ability to see off Burnley regardless of who starts and who finishes the game. Is that a tad dismissive of Burnley? To be honest not really, I think it’s an honest assessment of the two sides, but on that note, let’s have a brief look at Burnley.
The Opposition
Burnley have already suffered the indignity of another one and out stand in the Premier League. They were relegated mathematically a couple of games back but were probably down by Christmas in most people’s minds. What went wrong? Well, obviously they made the elementary mistake of not firing Little Scottie Parker before the season started. Ignore history at your peril. Bournemouth knew, and look at them fly now. Additionally, the quality of their recruitment was simply not good enough. Yes, they spent some money and there was plenty of churn from the Championship squad but punts on the unproven young and desperate elderly are rarely going to work. They’ve shipped 73 goals so far and have won only one league game since October. Given the nature of parachute payments, I expect they will bounce back in good time, but I can’t imagine it has been an enjoyable season for the Burnley support.
But what can a Japanese doctor teach us?
I had a routine medical procedure this Thursday, a planned leg angioplasty with stent insertion, after a previous balloon catheter had failed to clear a peskily occluded section of artery. All went well until it was time to insert the stent and it was realised that we didn’t have one big enough to fit snugly in my un-Japanese sized artery! Ah well, these things happen you are probably saying but in fact two weeks earlier in a pre-op meeting I had checked this very point with my surgeon – are the stents big enough? I asked. No problem at all, he breezily replied. As the title of this piece says complacency was not our friend. You think it’s an easy one but it’s the little things that get you! Anyway, fortunately we have Mikel Arteta and his team. They have never struck me as men to stent on the pre-game research.
What will happen?
It is our last home game of the season and the league is agonisingly close. The crowd will be screaming us forward from the first minute on, the atmosphere will be electric (I am very happy for all ‘holics who have a ticket, tinged with a tiny slice of envy of course), and the team and the manager will be fiercely determined. I honestly don’t see how Burnley will cope. Any win will do of course, but I hope for a calming 3-0 half-time lead and a cruise to victory. That’s about all I have to say, in truth, I hope those of the supporters who don’t have transport difficulties will be able to stay and show their appreciation of this Arsenal side. They richly deserve all the praise they get, in an arduous season where others have fallen away or made excuses when they lose, we are still there and still fighting as hard as we know how. A team that has got us to the middle of May with the PL and CL firmly in the line of sight of the mighty Gunners! We know their worth.
Have a great one all!
PS I should add for those of you with keen medical minds that I survived the operation. Actually, we winged it with a pincer movement and cleared out the blockage quite nicely so the claudication issue is solved (for now). As the doctor said afterwards, “well, you didn’t really want a stent anyway”. And people say doctors don’t have a sense of humour!
Thanks Matt
First, a win. Second, improve the goal difference. Third, no more injuries.
Other than that, it’s all noise.
UTA.
Thanks Matt. An interesting analogy!
I’m glad to hear that the leg has improved. At least the dozy bugger got the correct leg!
I like your team and think it’s quite likely to be MA8’s choice too.
Just win, Gunners! Any win will do. Winning well would be even better.
What Bath said @2.
Cheers Matt,
Happy leg day then. 🙂
What Ned said @3
Great preview Matt and I am glad the procedure left you sound in wind and limb . We are living through an extraordinary season which could be the most exciting in a history that is chock full of incredible stories and moments ….or it could blow up like a cheap balloon angioplasty .
Let’s be positive – if we could choose a team to play it might be Burnley at home . Any win will do but if we can really bosh them it puts huge pressure on C130y. I think Trossard will start with Eze at 10 and agree about Mosquera . Timber and Merino may be fit for Budapest but this may come too early . Let’s hope we can notch a 4-0 win and get behind Bournemouth on Tuesday night
Thanks, Matt – will you excuse me for finding that er, entertaining ? You omitted to tell us whether they stented – or rather didn’t – the home or away leg ? 🤷♂️
I share your pain / discomfort anyway. When my knee replacement was done just over a year ago, I was lying on the operating table with a line in, about to be anaesthetised, when an irate surgeon came into the ante room to announce that someone had prepped the wrong size replacement joint, so I had to get up and go home again to wait another two and a half weeks ! And that was at the RNOH, one of the best orthopaedic hospitals in the world – and, I have to say, a brilliant surgeon.
While deliberately surpressed – I tell myself – my anxiety levels over this league title, 14 months on, are about the same.
Two more games to find a way. We’ve had a catalogue of injuries to contend with, mad fixture pressure thanks to advancing in four competitions, calls from other managers, journalists and online numpties to change the rules of the game to stop being so good at set pieces and to allow our goalkeeper to be choked while trying to jump to catch a ball. Some of the silliest of the fourth estate have even suggested our title, should we win it, ought to be asterisked out because we will have won it playing anti-football. Yes, OUR title should be asterisked out, never mind about the decade of cheating that has resulted in titles for the oh so glorious Abu Dhabis, their horrible players and their graceless, sarcastic manager who, of course, is a genius, although £2+ billion quid thrown dishonestly into the ring must help.
Well, that’s the team talk done. Come on you Reds ! Nearly there.
Trev@6: 👏👏👏
Today’s results opened the door still further for Bournemouth to get in the Champions League . It’s a massive incentive for them ( if they need one) to beat C130y and it’s Iraiola’s home swansong . Make sure you have a glass of something nearby on Tuesday evening
Excellent preview Matt! And glad to know that eventually the angioplasty was completed successfully. I’m curious though: isn’t the Japanese diet supposed to help you to not require one to begin with? 🙂
Love your optimism. We fought so hard, overcoming so many challenges with injuries, I think (hope) the players can feel that they are almost there, and just need a couple of days of their very best efforts.
I like your team. And it’s possible Mikel will play that starting eleven. I myself would prefer to see Calafiori and Leo starting on the left. Leo seems to have rediscovered his early season form, and before he was taken off at half time against West Ham, he was one of our more potent threats. We need goals, and he brings in a unique challenge with his inside movements and goalmouth instincts to the opposition defense, something that they rarely face from a left back.
Raya
Mosquera-Saliba-Gabriel-Calafiori
Ødegaard-Rice-MLS
Saka-Gyökeres-Trossard
With Eze, Havertz, Martinelli, Madueke, Dowman, Zubimendi offering options from the bench. I suspect Salmon will be on the bench as well.
I am sure the home fans will be in full voice and create an atmosphere as they did against Athletico! We need to start on the front foot, and not let the intensity drop. Any win will do, but one that improves the GD noticeably would be most welcome.
Come on Arsenal!
A drink to your health Matt, and a second contingent on an additional three points gained by the Arsenal on the morrow, be it terrifying, exciting, otherwise or a mixture of a bit of all of the above. Another drink for Chuckles your doctor 😎 and before I forget COYRRNBG!!!!
Nice preview Matt. Sorry to hear about your latest experience with the Sawbones. Hopefully all sorted.
Dr F@9- RedAction have set up another fan greeting for the coach tonight from 5.45, designed to show support for the team and get them up for it. If I wasn’t already booked for pre match dinner, I’d go along. From what I can see, the crowd is going to be bang-up for the last home game of the season.
Cheers all, and Dr F, if only I had stuck to the Japanese diet 😃😃
Enjoyable as always, Matt. A game we’re very well equipped to win and the team you recommend to accomplish that looks good to me. I like the sound of a calming 3-0 lead at half time much more than TTG’s cheap balloon angioplasty.
Win it, Arsenal.
In other news, I read that West Ham are not only subsidised by London taxpayers, who pay for matchday stewarding and other operational costs, but also will get the rent it pays for London Stadium, currently £4.4m, halved in the event of relegation. One wonders what other costly clauses lurk in the 99-year lease the club negotiated with Boris in 2012.
https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/cr7pm71rvkvo
Ned @14, I think full disclosure of that deal would cause decent people a lot of distress. It’s probably best that we don’t know the details. It sounds like a typical outcome of political expediency/incompetence and East End grifting.
On a lighter note, Keenos has good advice for all Gooners:
Bath@15: Political expediency/incompetence and East End grifting? When David Sullivan, David Gold and Boris Johnson are involved? Unimaginable! Or at least those are three bedfellows I would want nowhere near my imagination.
Thanks Matt for a good, enjoyable read. I hope your travails with the Japanese doctor has not hindered getting your leg over and all is now ok with you.
Unfortunately I won’t be able to watch tonight’s match as it clashes with a county league bowls match I’m playing in. With the right approach and no ill luck ( injuries or PGMOL ) it should be a comfortable win – the more goals the better, just win and put some pressure back on the Cheatys.
COYRRR
Quelle merde!
My French mate who gives me his codes to watch the matches on Canal+ has just got really angry with them and stopped his account!
If anyone comes up with a decent stream for tonight, please send a link here!!
Bonnet de douche!
Raya
Mosquera, Gabriel, Saliba, Calafiori
Rice, Odegaard, Eze
Saka, Trossard
Havertz
Bench: Arrizabalaga, Hincapie, Lewis-Skelly, Zubimendi, Martinelli, Madueke, Dowman, Gyokeres, Jesus.
Trossard and Havertz start. Arteta clearly listens to you, OM.
OM knows. Come on Kai and come on Leo
c100 is not the only one who loves it when we score from corners
Marvellous. Two quick goals and we can enjoy ourselves.
I’ll take 1-0 but not sure about my ticker,
Come on Arsenal!
Thought Kai might be off for that,
silly tackle
Come on Arsenal!
Time for ch-ch-changes!
MLS, Hincapie, Vik on
More orthodox from here
Just win
We just won!
One nil to The Arsenal
I need to go and sit down, fucking hell
I’m getting old cos I don’t remember it being this
tough to win the league
Burnley didn’t look much like scoring. We got a goal and a win.
Good thing I’m not writing the report because that’s about as much as I have to offer!
Three points. All that matters.
Kai was lucky not to get a straight red for his bad tackle.
So was Flemming for poleaxing Raya. He won’t be missed in the PL next season. Nor will Hannibal.
You are the master of concision, Dino. And getting the match report into the drinks of the preview must be a record even by your quick-fire standards. 🙂
@18 hope you found a stream JML?
Canal+ are annoying lots of people just now 😃
Cheers Ned! There’s a drink on the bar for you.
I never had any issue with standard canals.
Highlight of the night had to be Hincapie’s cheeky cameo. Although I’m sure many wished Calafiori had still been on.
One-Nil to the Arsenal. Seems to be something of a renaissance there.
If only we had scored those three efforts in the first half over and above that superb header from Kai, that second half would have been a much easier watch. Burnley never looked like scoring but this old lag has seen too many points lost to flukey goals or bizarre decisions in games that we had totally dominated for me to be fully relaxed in the second half. Having said that, we got away with one on that Havertz tackle. Another bizarre VAR decision – this time in our favour – about time, really.
Onwards.
>>>>>>>