{"id":3020,"date":"2021-05-01T19:02:59","date_gmt":"2021-05-01T18:02:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/?p=3020"},"modified":"2021-05-02T16:48:15","modified_gmt":"2021-05-02T15:48:15","slug":"up-north-we-go","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/?p=3020","title":{"rendered":"Up North We Go"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Dear Goonerholics Forever Readers,<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We have been working hard this past six weeks on a campaign in support of Bob Wilson\u2019s Willow Foundation. All our coming efforts celebrating Arsenal\u2019s Double year of 1970-71 you\u2019ll see during the month of May are the results. We\u2019ve added a donation tile at right, in hopes you\u2019ll find something in your hearts (and wallets!) to share with the good folks at Willow. Let them know how much you enjoy(ed) our efforts. And watch for the auction, starting Monday 3 May.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thank you!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Team from Goonerholicsforever.com<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Hello again everyone and welcome to the preview of the next step in our sadly faltering PL campaign. As the title of this piece suggests we are off to Newcastle this week. As I know many of you may not be familiar with the North I have added an image of the bustling town centre*. The last time the Gunners travelled north for a game between two Europa League ties we returned home with three points, three goals and a clean sheet against Sheffield United. A repeat against Newcastle United this Sunday would be very welcome as the mood among the Goonerscenti has been anxious at best recently. Leaving aside the distractions of the super league shenanigans \u2013 and I don\u2019t think they are any excuse if you look at the recent results of the other clubs involved – the team have not performed well in our last three games and the fan base is becoming understandably impatient. I think a win at Newcastle would at least give the players a little more confidence, and failing that it would cheer me up! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is, it must be said, an end of season trip we could probably do without as our final league position of also ran was settled some weeks back and a year (a week?) from now no one will remember this result. However, the situation is what it is and entirely of our own making so I would hope that whoever is selected will stand up to be counted. Speaking of which, I have seen it suggested that we should empty out the reserves cupboard for this one and keep anyone likely to start next week either on the bench or sat at home. Although that is not an entirely unreasonable suggestion I don\u2019t think we will do that just now, firstly because Mikel doesn\u2019t seem inclined and secondly it\u2019s best to keep our noses clean on accusations of weakened sides in the current climate. Who then will play?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Line Up<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It has not been easy to successfully predict our starting XI over the last few months and this game is no exception with decisions to be made in almost every position. I will assume that Mat Ryan starting the other week was a one-off and expect Leno to be in goal. In defence we have the option, I believe, of whether to bring back KT and David Luiz. A risk too far in KT\u2019s case as his probable deputy is Xhaka, whereas in Luiz\u2019s case I don\u2019t, in all honesty, see a lot of difference in quality between Rob, Gabriel, Mari and Luiz. I marginally prefer Luiz and would take the chance to reintroduce him for this game. It could be either Hector or Calum at right-back, depending on Calum\u2019s fitness as he seems the current first choice. At left-back I would personally play Soares but as we haven\u2019t seen him since the Slavia home debacle (was he really any worse than some of the others?), I am guessing he is not an option in Mikel\u2019s mind which leaves us with Granit Xhaka – what is there to say that hasn\u2019t been said? Moving on to central midfield, I expect to see either Elneny or Thomas starting with Dani, who for obvious reasons will not be playing next week. Further forward things will depend a lot on fitness levels, MA was pessimistic about Auba being ready to start and I don\u2019t have any update as yet on Laca\u2019s hammy. Given Auba is still not fully match fit should we really start Laca even if he is fit? Gabi should certainly be ready to go and Odegaard could probably use some match time but the situation with ESR and Saka is unclear. Willian and Nketiah await a chance as, slightly further away, does Balogun. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Having said all that, it is time to put forward a possible XI, although I will drink a decent bottle of Bordeaux during the game if this XI is correct**<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leno<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chambers, Luiz, Mar\u00ed, Xhaka<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thomas, Dani<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Saka, Odegaard, Gabi<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Laca<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As you will see and to answer my own question I would indeed start Laca. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Opposition<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Toon, as they are called by the Newcastle United faithful, are safe for another season of mediocre under-achievement and all round meh-ness, thanks in no small way to Joe W. who has popped up with several vital goals for them over the last few weeks. In the interests of research I chatted with a couple of their supporters this week but I\u2019m afraid it mostly descended into an argument about which club’s owner was hated the most. What I did manage to glean was that they have been playing \u201cok\u201d and you\u2019d have to say that is probably better than us over the last three games. It has also not gone unnoticed by said Northerners that we are exactly the type of mid-table side you want to play if you are trying to move away from the bottom three. They seemed pleased as well that Callum Wilson is set to start. Or at least he is according to the affably incompetent Steve Bruce. We have, I suppose, been warned though as I happily mentioned to them at the time I find it difficult to take their team seriously and expect they will go down next season once we don\u2019t loan them any players to get them out of Durham.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In fact, we have a good recent record against Newcastle and have won the last five in the PL by an aggregate of 12-1, including a decent performance in a 3-0 win at our place in January, as well as dumping them out of the Cup in extra time the same month. Surely, if you\u2019ve done something five times then you can do it six?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Holic Pound<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Newcastle have eked out some results over the last month or so and some caution may be called for in the circumstances.  The bookies seem to think so and favour 1-1 as the most likely scoreline. I will not of course be recommending such a score and would prefer to wager on 3-1 to The Arsenal at 18-1. That would be a fair result in the circumstances though a better one would be no injuries ahead of the 2nd<\/sup> leg with Villareal next week. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I wish us all the best of the game and who knows it may turn out to be one of those entertaining end of season clashes where both teams attack recklessly and provide a thriller for the fans \u2013 we live in hope, COYGs!!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Noted Without Comment<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The absurd and incompetent Mike Dean will referee the game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

* Actually, in the interests of honesty and credit where it\u2019s due it\u2019s Hartlepool and it\u2019s a brilliantly evocative photo taken by John Bulmer in 1961.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

** Actually I will drink it if it is wrong too. It\u2019ll be all the more enjoyable if we play well and a consolation if we don\u2019t. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Coming soon to a blog near you (this one!)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Celebrate the 1970-71 Double at Goonerholics Forever. Watch Bob & Pat in conversation, read fans’ reminiscences, bid for signed memorabilia and donate to the Willow Foundation via the tile in the right margin!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pat Rice broke through, aged 21, in 1970-71, played over 500 games for the Arsenal and as player & coach, he won more trophies at the Arsenal than anyone else. 55 appearances in 1970-71.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"\/<\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Dear Goonerholics Forever Readers, We have been working hard this past six weeks on a campaign in support of Bob Wilson\u2019s Willow Foundation. All our coming efforts celebrating Arsenal\u2019s Double year of 1970-71 you\u2019ll see during the month of May are the results. We\u2019ve added a donation tile at right, in hopes you\u2019ll find something […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[5],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3020"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3020"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3020\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3049,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3020\/revisions\/3049"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3020"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3020"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3020"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}