On Sunday afternoon we travel the short distance across London to the London Stadium (the Olympic Stadium that was virtually given to West Ham) for a vital London Derby. At least, it’s vital as far as we are concerned: it may be a game that West Ham feel they could well do without, sandwiched as it is between the two legs of the Europa League semi-finals against Eintracht Frankfurt. The first (home) leg was on Thursday night and did not go well. West Ham conceded in the first minute or so and eventually went down to a 2-1 defeat to a decent German side.
I watched the game with a slightly mischievous view. I wanted West Ham to eventually reach the Final but every time a claret and blue shirted player went down I hoped he had sustained a very slight injury that they would not want to aggravate on Sunday so that they would recover for the second leg. The Hammers are already missing Craig Dawson, sent off at The Bus Stop last week. The cat-volleying oaf Zouma returned last night but they may not want him to play two high intensity games in three days after a long injury absence. Last week they did not start Antonio, Bowen, or Rice, possibly their three most talented players, and I’d suggest they do exactly the same this weekend. Best not take any chances eh?!
Arsenal’s season has been likened to a rollercoaster by no less an authority than our manager but Mikel probably called it a ‘Montaña rusa’. Certainly it has progressed in phases – a disastrous start, a recovery, a late autumn blip followed by a goal splurge and a steady accumulation of points until a recent run of four defeats in five. But the last two wins in high-profile games against the Chavs and ManUre have restored momentum and made us again the bookies favourites for the final Champions League place. The battle to secure that is probably down to a straight fight between us and our beloved neighbours from Middlesex. They face a home match against a Leicester side who are also facing a stiff away semi-final leg in Rome on Thursday. I think to maintain momentum they have to pick their strongest side on Sunday and to use the lift they get from beating the Totts to help them through next Thursday!
Our revival has coincided with the selection of Eddie Nketiah upfront and the much-maligned Mohammed Elneny in midfield. Missing Partey and Tierney we have seen the deployment of Nuno Tavares possibly simultaneously one of the best attacking full backs in the Premier League…and one of the worst defensively! Nuno may find himself out of the team on Sunday as Tomayisu returned to the team in the latter stages against United. If he starts on Sunday we might see Cedric move to left-back. The return of a properly fit Tomi will be incredibly welcome. Otherwise I think the team (injuries and illness permitting) is probably quite easy to divine.
My guess is that it will be:
Ramsdale
Tomayisu White Gabriel Cedric
Elneny Xhaka
Saka Odegaard Smith-Rowe
Nketiah
Subs – Leno, Holding, Tavares, Lokonga, Pépé, Lacazette, Martinelli
It would be interesting to ask Holics to guess the outcome of the 145 fixtures we have played since we first met in 1906. So I will: how many of those have we won…and lost? Answers at the end. It is certainly a fixture with an unusual scoreline which recurs regularly – 3-3!
Last year’s away game was a 3-3 draw after we had trailed 3-0 after half an hour. A few seasons before an Andy Carroll hat-trick failed to win the game for them after we had led 2-0 and trailed 3-2! I’ve seen us play West Ham away a number of times . In recent years it has become a safer endeavour than visiting Upton Park in the sixties and seventies. The Inter City Firm were a very dangerous crew and on one occasion murdered an Arsenal fan (in 1979) at Highbury. The London Stadium is a much more civilised place but it’s manifestly not a proper football stadium like Upton Park despite the fact that my then seven year-old grandson (a Gooner) claimed it was ‘ old and smelly’ when he visited it shortly before it closed. I visited their new home for a bland 0-0 draw and sat in the Wet Spam version of club level. My mood was not improved when using the loo a very happy Hammer pointed out the claret and blue tiled club crest over the urinals. ‘All this for £2 and a half million. Good old Boris!’ If ever there was an example of a playing field tilted in a club’s favour that decision by the then London Mayor was it.
So what can we expect on Sunday? Predictions are hard to get right with our rather inconsistent team but it is a game that has fallen at a very good time for us. West Ham had a very tough and rather dispiriting game yesterday. They must have more than one eye on Thursday’s second leg and they will surely rotate a squad that is smaller than ours. So we have a real chance to get three points.
Watching the last-16 win over Seville and the crowd going ballistic it struck me how much smaller a club West Ham is than Arsenal. I don’t write that deliberately in a superior way but qualifying for the last eight of the Europa League would not cause the outpouring of joy in N5 that West Ham’s success did. That preoccupation with a chance to make real club history must dominate their thinking at the moment and hopefully we can profit.
The Holic Pound
Bet365 have West Ham to win at 10/3, Arsenal 4/5 and the draw is 14/5. Arsenal to win 3-1 is available at 18-1 and I’m going to suggest that our freshness, the incentive of securing CL football and the Hammers’ preoccupation with Thursday may see us prevail by this score. But at the same time I’ve a nagging feeling, probably caused by our recent inconsistency, that it won’t be that straightforward.
As for our all time record against the Hammers (including Cup games) of the 145 games we have won 70, West Ham 35, with 45 drawn. In our five trips to the London Stadium we’ve won twice, drawn twice and lost to a Declan Rice goal in 2019. That’s a pretty positive record. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could be five points clear of the Marshdwellers on Sunday night ? Their next game is at Anfield.
The estimable C100 and son are going. Wishing them and any other Holics a safe and very satisfying trip.
Just a late PS.
Arteta claimed that Tomi who can kick with both feet unlike most professional footballers could play at left back on Sunday . That might be a positive move . No offence to Nuno
Thanks for an excellent preview TTG and the name check. It will be our first trip to the London Stadium so interested to see what we find. Our seats are at the very back of the upper tier and I’ve been advised to take binoculars! As you rightly say, what team they pick will be key, as they still have a chance of turning their EL semi final around next Thursday.
Thanks TTG for a greatly entertaining preview. 3-3 would be fine as far as I am concerned but for a halftime score only. 3-6 at full time should do the trick. Eddie with a second half hat trick, obviously. 😉 Watching Tomiyasu’s return will be worth it in itself but extra at left back sounds extra interesting and certainly challenging for a newbie at the position in this league. We shall see. May you enjoy the outing, c100.
Thanks for an entertaining and historically informative preview TTG. 3-1 will do nicely. Basically it’s another must win. Hopefully, as you suggest, the Europa League is looming large in David Moyes’ imagination and they rest their key players.
My favourite memory of the London Stadium was in its former guise . A friend took me to the athletics in midweek ( I’d seen the football QF at Wembley ) and then on the final Saturday I somehow got three tickets for the athletics in the ballot. We watched Mo Farah win the 5000 metres and Usain Bolt run the anchor leg of the sprint relay. I still think it was the noisiest sporting crowd I’ve ever heard . But it’s one thing watching athletics and another football. The stadium lacks the immediacy of somewhere like Upton Park which resonated on a match day especially under the floodlights . The binoculars tip is quite sensible except it’s hard to watch a game as fast as football can be through them . Nevertheless when you think what it cost the Spuds to build their stadium and what ours cost it was a gift horse for the Hammers .
A most enjoyable preview, TTG. At this stage of the season, it is all about the points. Three of them any way we can get them will do.
Both Tomi and Cedric are two-footed. Coincidence, or is that a profile requirement for our full-backs?
Upton Park in the ’70s was a horrible place.
A curiosity of the five 3-3 draws we’ve had with West Ham is that in every one of them our three goals have been scored by three different players. No braces. No hat tricks. Of our 15 goals in aggregate, only Johnny MacLeod scored more than one, both back in the early 1960s. I don’t know if you or your dad remembers him, TTG. He scored Arsenal’s first European goal, in the Fairs Cup in 1963.
https://www.arsenal.com/news/features/20161026/johnny-macleod
Your usual fine preview, thanks TTG.
I watched West Ham last week and without Antonio, Bowen and Rice they were basically toothless going forward but defended well in the main. Hopefully they pick the same starting XI and we can get a welcome clean sheet.
Given he’s been out a while I’d prefer to move the match hardened Cedric to the left and your team looks about right to me TTG.
2-0 to The Arsenal…
Ned,
I remember Johnny McLeod well. We signed him from Hibernian and he was a classic Scottish winger of his day. Quick and tricky and able to shoot dangerously. I saw him play several times . He was a fine provider for Baker and Strong in the middle .
Re the 3-3 draws that’s a strange stat. I thought Laca got two in the game last year but I think the first one was classed as a deflected own goal although he hit it beautifully . Happy to accept lots of LG’s from opponents in the run in, I’m not proud !
Cheers TTG. Interesting stats. Three points Sunday, whichever way, is all that matters.
I posted this yesterday at the very end of the drinks before the bar went down. With apologies to TTG I’m posting it again as there is a real buzz amongst the fan base for making this a real Arsenal anthem. It’s not about football, it’s about Islington. Listen out for it at the next few games .
TTG@9: Joe Baker and Geoff Strong hit hat-tricks against Staevnet, so Johnny MacLeod must have been on song that evening. Despite winning the first leg 7-1 in Cophenhagen, we lost the home leg 2-3.
That defeat was the last first-team game for another Scot, Ian McKechnie, signed as a left-winger but converted into a keeper by George Swindin. Your chum Bob Wilson made his debut in the next game. McKechnie moved to Southend at the end of the season.
His footnote in history was to be the first keeper to concede, save and take a penalty in a penalty shootout in a competitive game in England and the first player to miss a deciding kick (he hit the bar). That was all for Hull against Man U in the semi-finals of the Watney Cup in 1970, the first time a penalty shootout was used in England as a tie-breaker in a cup tie.
C100: That is a very evocative song and touches a nerve, especially for ex-pat North Londoners of a certain age. 🙂
It would be magnificent to hear the chorus being belted out by 60,000 at the Ems. Only need to change ‘these streets are our own’ to ‘this team is our own’.
Firstly C100 there is no apology necessary . That’s a very emotional and evocative song with a great chorus. Anything that emphasises our link with our part of North London is healthy and appropriate. I just hope that if it becomes our anthem no other team tries to appropriate it . If you change the words to ‘ team ‘ that might happen.
Ned,
You stir happy memories . I saw McKechnie save a penalty against Bolton in a game I described on here a year or so ago . Bob remembers getting his debut ( against Nottingham Forest ) because Ian was dropped for being overweight! He was a big unit ! Bob was a teacher then having joined from Wolves . His was a long path to the top because we went out and signed Jim ( Fingers) Furnell from Liverpool . Lord knows why !
Reverting to that forward line we played Armstrong or Skirton on the left wing and the front four were extremely dangerous, especially with George Eastham prompting from behind . But we tended to need to get three goals to get a point !
TTG@14: I remember some of that defending only too well. We conceded 82 goals in the league that season, almost two a game.
George Eastham was such a delight to watch. He never had the England career his talent deserved. He did not fit Alf Ramsey’s teams and was probably too independent-minded for Ramsey’s taste.
On reflection, you are right about not changing the words to The Angel to make it an Arsenal anthem. Anchor to place. I withdraw my suggestion @13.
The superagent, Mino Raiola, has died. Only 54 and no cause of death made public. Whatever you think of him and agents in general, his passing will be felt throughout football.
https://edition.cnn.com/2022/04/30/football/mino-raiola-death-spt-intl/index.html
C100
Evidence of the bandwagon building around the song you brought to our attention
https://www.football.london/arsenal-fc/news/arsenal-new-chant-hype-train-23831482
Better get back down to earth
yeeeaaa
h
h
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Thanks TTG for an interesting, stat filled preview that also stirred some memories of very nasty times at Upton Park.
The Louis Dunford song posted by C100 also stirs a raft of memories of Arsenal and particularly the surrounding area. I read that Louis Dunford was the best mate of Ben Kinsella, the Holloway lad and Arsenal fan, who was stabbed to death in Islington in 2008. It’s a powerful and passionate song that would make a great anthem for the Arsenal.
As for tomorrow’s game, it’s another case of “three points, any old how will do, thank you”
The whole business of trying to predict end of season games is folly when there is so much at stake for the best and worst teams in the division. We just have to get there, no matter how.
There are many better mathematicians than me using this site . We have drawn 40 not 45 times with the Hammers. Apologies !
well…
Love is good. Life, too.
but…
I’m forever sniffing…
Sniffers of the glue
Let’s glue some of the sniffers
Patsy BLOODY Cline!!!!
my way
after midnight
A Boy Named Glue…
yes! I remember everything. Bricks and bags.
Upton (Not BoleyN) GLUE!
Sing with me. Come on, sing, sing.
Rock on!
Better than glue…
Re: Amyl and the Sniffers. Brilliant name and video.
An eclectic and interesting series of videos preceding that one too, I see.
Have I wandered onto a music site?
I’m feeling disoriented so I’ll predict 4-1.
UTA.
C100, thanks for posting the link. I’ve gone and bought the song. Lots of pictures in the video which echo my own family and growing up in N1. Can’t wait to hear it sung at the bar at Block 10. And obviously on TV this afternoon. Have a great day over in darkest East London.
I don’t give two buggers for any song taken to the terraces really, but I’m heartily sick and tired of that Status Quo shite. That needs to die a quick death, but it would be a death that could never be quick enough.
Win today, and the lowest we can finish is seventh.
JUST WIN TODAY, GUNNERS!
Thanks TTG for this very fine preview.
My first ever Arsenal game was against the Hammers at the Highbury in 1995. From than on I have an excellent run. We have never lost a game under my watch. And I won’t miss the today game no matter what.
COYG
Ohh and here is my is contestant for best clip:
Every dog has his day.
“Leicester have won just once in their last five PL games”
Tott****m drop points?
When the PGMOL get around to replacing Jonathan Moss I wonder if one criterion will be to find someone of equal weight.
That’s a good thought bt8. Dean’s going too.
Though it’s going to be a job for the PGMOL to find someone of equal cuntishness to him
Arsenal: Ramsdale, Tomiyasu, Holding, Gabriel, Tavares, Xhaka, Elneny, Odegaard, Martinelli, Saka, Nketiah
Subs: Leno, Cedric, Kirk, Swanson, Lokonga, Oulad M’Hand, Smith Rowe, Pepe, Lacazette
West Ham: Fabianski, Coufal, Zouma, Cresswell, Fredericks, Rice, Noble, Fornals, Lanizini, Benramha, Bowen
Subs: Areola, Masuaku, Alese, Diop, Kral, Soucek, Vlasic, Yarmolenko, Antonio
No Ben White.
Ben Whlte is not on the bench, either. Gone in the fetlock?
Interesting that Kirk gets the nod over Rekik as CB cover on the bench.
It also means that Arteta can’t fall back on bringing on Rob to close out the final 15 minutes.
Ben White has a tight hamstring and is not being risked, apparently.
Rice and Bowen are starting. Hammers take it seriously.
Moyes is putting out a strong team. He knows that lose today, and West Ham’s chance of qualifying for even next season’s Europa far-flung places that end in vowels following unpronounceable combinations of consonants competition is pretty much gone.
RIP John Dickinson. 40 years ago today.
Sloppy. Come on, Arsenal…..
Wet Spam playing not so much a press as a gentle push forward. Very easy to play through.
Not much going for either side, Tavares is a liability, Rob is looking solid. Hopefully MA will instruct them for the 2H.
Did I mention Rob? Get iiiiiinn
That was a great save from Ramsdale
We have to cut out this bloody terrible passing
Not Holding out, is he? Rather in!
Capitola Rob 🙂
Martinelli second half hatrick.
I admire your faith, SP!
That would hell of a turnaround as he’s been nowhere till now.
Tavares is a shocking player.
Thanks heavens for that
Get in !!
Centre back day
Much better energy there from Martinelli. We really need to up the energy levels.
One of those games where I really have no idea what Arteta has set us up to do. I really do t see much evidence of a game plan. Happy to be illuminated by any of the denizens of the bar….
Superb run and pass from the Egyptian Pirlo to release Eddie.
Oooooh Eddy, great pass Elneny
Where is Flappianski when you need him
Phew.
Fucking yes! Another big win for the boys
But yeah, phew
Slightly sketchy performance with the passing very poor at times but it’s always very satisfying to beat this lot, for lots of reasons.
9 goals in the last three games from 7 different players.
That feels better now!
It’s all about the points at this point. Job done.
After the interlull I thought we had to get 7 points from the next three games which looked winnable . We got none! I felt we would find the next three very difficult . We got nine points !
Football is a very difficult game to predict .
Go on The Arsenal!
And big up Nuno – top boy!
CBs on Bootleg ground
@43. Fun and hilarious clip indeed!
We have four matches left to play but Arsenal have already surpassed last year’s end-of-season points total of 61, and games won total of 18. Currently we have 63 points and 20 games won so with the proper application in those last four games we can take a big leap compared to last season.
A
R
S
E
N
AL
AR
SE
NA
L
ARS
ENAL
ARSE
NAL
A tip of the hat for the ton bt8 😉
So how is everyone feeling this fine Bank Holiday Monday morning?
Just dandy, sir. Apart that is for the lack of the predicted BH heat wave.
Settling down to watch the Manure match from which I haven’t seen more than the MotD clips.
Are you still in Madeira Bath?
I’m feeling good thanks C100 . I’m firing up the TTG barbecue today having purchased a propane cylinder at an eye watering cost of £100!
It always feels better after a crucial win but I must admit I’m finding it increasingly nerve wracking to watch close finishes . It must be my age !
Rob Holding
y’know
He’s better than Cannavaro!
C100 @104, no. Got back at 2am Sunday. Catching up with unseen football on the hard disc this morning.
For those who don’t regularly check out Gunnerstown, I attach a superb analysis of yesterday’s game (as ever) by Mike McDonald. I fully agree with his positive analyses of Eddie, Xhaka, Elneny and Capitola Rob. If it were down to me, I would offer all four new contracts. I know Eddie has an offer he has so far declined to sign – I would now make him an offer that he couldn’t refuse – not by leaving a horse’s head in his bed.
Excellent link Bath. Mike is one of my favourite columnists.
bt8@85-100: that was quite the self-assist!
bath@108: thanks for the Mike McDonald link. An accurately observed analysis. His point about our need to create more chances and score more ‘easy’ goals was well made.
Ned @110, that point about us not creating more easy goal chances is well made and one of Mike’s best insights. Of course it is in part due to how well organised PL defences now are but we do appear to have to labour more for our goals than most others seem to need to (especially against us until recently).
Khayon Edwards, our highly-rated U18s striker who Chelsea was trying to poach, has reportedly signed his first professional contract with us.
Get your West Ham match report in German courtesy of the German Gunners blog: https://germangunners.com/2022/05/02/durchgekampft/
If you prefer your match reports to be in English, as I do, this is what Google Translate says it said:
fought through
Published by germangunners
What another big point last night at the London Stadium against West Ham United. A 2-1 win keeps Arsenal in pole position for a place in the Champions League next season. It was really not a brilliant performance that Mikel Arteta’s team delivered. However, this applied to both teams. But in the end it’s not the highlights of the game, but the results that count in the fight for placements, especially so close to the end of a season. So Mikel Arteta rightly spoke of a “dirty” victory.
Due to the absence of Ben White, a change had to be made at short notice and Rob Holding moved into central defence. A change that should not only pay off on the scoreboard but also on the field. Holding once again delivered an absolutely mature and professional performance, which meant that they remained stable on the defensive and were able to hold the narrow lead for a long time. Tomiyasu also moved back into the starting XI. However, he did not last the entire game and had to leave the field early. There is no exact information about this yet. Hopefully just an issue of fitness after a long downtime.
Yesterday’s win secured qualification for the Europa League. The return to the European stage is already secured. But of course the fans and the team want more now. You can see that in the whole environment and that’s a good thing. Football is played to achieve success, even if some comments on the island do not want to accept this or at least do not want to begrudge us. Yesterday’s win was hugely important given Spurs’ victory. Now it’s against Leeds and Spurs have to go to Liverpool. Anything is possible on the coming matchday. Leeds are struggling to survive, which doesn’t make it easy. Pool fights for the championship. So it’s close at both ends of the table and we’re right in the middle.
However, yesterday’s big point should help us to be mentally ready for the upcoming games. I don’t expect to see results where we just cruise to victory. There is too much at stake for all teams involved. But isn’t that exactly what we wanted? A chance to reach the higher goal?! Of course, games like yesterday are exhausting from a fan point of view. But it makes a success all the more beautiful. Sunday it goes on. We are ready!
In this sense
Come on you Gunners!
CHeers
Chris
Chris wrote his last two lines (Come on you Gunners!
CHeers) in English in the German original. Google Translate gives me my answer to that: “gut erledigt Chris”
Great link Bath thanks . Mike is very insightful and combines a coaches’ eye view with a fan’s emotions .
I will perhaps comment more after the match report but I’m terms of giving new contracts much depends on if we make the CL. If we do we will need back up and Eddie, Rob and Mo are backup players who can do a good job for us although Eddie may have bigger aspirations. Xhaka won’t be content to be a back up and although he has done a really good job in the last three games he won’t be getting better or quicker and is already a very high earner. If there is a buyer out there wanting to pay £20 m plus we’d be advised to take it . I believe we need to upgrade in a key position over Granit and there are exciting alternatives that will help us cope better in the Champions League
TTG@116: I take your point about Nketiah, Holding, Elneny and Xhaka, but we need to think of ‘squad players’ in different terms, especially if we are looking forward to seasons having 50-60 games rather than 40-45. Both Klopp and Pep have grasped this. They have half a dozen 15-20-games-a-season starters, especially in attack and midfield, who are used to rest and rotate the 35-40-games-a-season starters, not purely as cover in the event of injury or suspensions among the ‘first XI’. Squad depth and management will be critical next season for all the top clubs because of the interruption of the World Cup, but we face the added challenge of having a smallish squad that has not had to deal with the wear and tear of playing twice a week.
I think we are ad idem on this point Ned . One other change for next season will be that five subs are allowed and some players could be very useful’ closers ‘ eg Elneny and Holding and strikers might be brought on with twenty minutes to go. I don’t think if we do reach the Champions League we will have the luxury of playing inexperienced lads in the group stages unless we get a very lucky draw .
My point about Xhaka is that if we keep Elneny and presumably retain Lokonga and Partey our midfield would not get the boost it manifestly needs. If players like Tchouanemi , Bellingham and De Jong come into play we will upgrade massively . Not all players will be content to be squad players and at his age Xhaka would quite justifiably want to start somewhere else
Good point about five subs, TTG. That will probably mean more double substitutions to set up teams for specific periods of play such as, as you suggest, closing out or chasing games. A midfielder of the quality of Tchouaméni would be most welcome and then some. Certainly, an upgrade on Xhaka, although Xhaka could become our James Milner :).
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