Arsenal v Southampton preview and Stuff!

Thank god the Inter lull is over, this is my first post for GFS so let me tell you dear readers now that I have no patience or interest in Internationals or anything that puts money into Sepp Blatters ever growing wallet or panders to FIFA's ever growing ego. However it is gone for while now so we can get back to proper football. After all that is why you come here? To read about Arsenal? Thought so.

This weekend sees Arsenal actually playing at home on a Saturday at 3pm. I did at one point think we were a Sunday team so it is good to see normality return. That is of course unless you cannot get to a game and long for televised Arsenal match at your local bar. Tough living in the UK so I do envy our fans abroad who get to watch games live. However I will be at the game, rubbing salt in the wound? Ah well!

So Southampton are currently bottom of the Premier, Nigel Adkins' side will be using this trip to gain points. Arsenal, now 8th with five points will want to continue in the vain of the Liverpool win, keep a clean sheet again for a fourth game. Amazing that you have to go 1924/25 for the last time we went three unbeaten. I have no doubt that Steve Bould is having an influence here. I also hope Giroud gets a goal to get that monkey off his back. As several people have been commenting, lets hope we have a Henry/Bergkamp awakening as we do seem to have luck against Southampton.

It would be wrong to write off Southampton in this match. Their game against Man Utd shows they are not to be under estimated but if Arsenal can keep their composure I am hopeful for a result. Here are some Opta facts for you.

Southampton have allowed their opponents more shots on target against them than any other team (19)

Arsenal have allowed their opponents the joint-fewest shots on target in the Premier League (7)

The players missing for Arsenal after internationals will be Walcott with a virus (possible agent speak for sulking) and Diaby who is rated at 50/50 but don't hold your breath. For Southampton Guly Do Prado could be dropped for admitting drink driving. Perhaps he and Santos could have a chat!

Arsenal (from): Szczesny, Jenkinson, Vermaelen, Mertesacker, Gibbs, Cazorla, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Arteta, Podolski, Giroud, Mannone, Koscielny, Ramsey, Santos, Coquelin, Gervinho, Djourou.

Southampton (from): K Davis, Gazzaniga, Richardson, Butterfield, Clyne, Fox, Shaw, Yoshida, Hooiveld, Fonte, Seabourne, Stephens, Chambers, Ward-Prowse, Do Prado, Chaplow, Cork, De Ridder, Ramirez, Lallana, Schneiderlin, Puncheon, Hammond, S Davis, Lambert, Lee, Rodriguez, Mayuka.

As for stuff? Well Wenger does not want to discuss a new contract but just to focus on doing well. That makes a change for someone at Arsenal not to be bleating about money etc. Sagna has upset people with his comments on selling players etc. Be careful what you wish for I say. I still feel that something is wrong deep inside Arsenal but will leave that for another day.

Fingers crossed for the weekend all and see you on the other side.

Arsenal Darkman

Arsenal vs Liverpool match report‏

Arsenal vs Liverpool match report

Liverpool vs Arsenal would be the Gunners first game against a team of top four prestige. One might argue that Liverpool have abandoned that reputation, and quite rightly so. The Reds have failed to make a top four since the 08/09 season (where they finished 2^nd). All considered, they were still a tough team to beat.

Liverpool made a bright start and was the dominant team in the first half. However, Arsenal’s defence was solid and Liverpool failed to penetrate it, a frustration which would continue throughout the match (Frustration for Liverpool and their fans of course) .At one point the Reds practically set up shop in our half and threw attack after attack at the Gunners defence. The Arsenal counterattacks were impressive, they exposed the Liverpool defence over and over, until Santi Cazorla and Lukas Podolski combined in a 70yard attack scored the match’s first goal. Podolski caught a sleeping Gerard in possession. The ball eventually found Cazorla, who made a dashing run through the Liverpool defence. Podolski made a staggering run of about 70yards to support the Spanish midfielder. Cazorla had two options, pass to his right and hope Giourd can find the target or supply the galloping Podolski. Cazorla chose the more sensible option, he stepped inside and then outside confusing the Liverpool defence (which was already disorganised as a result of the intelligent Giroud sidesteps) and passed the ball to Podolski. The German international made no mistake and shot the ball across the view of Pepe Reina into the right corner of the box.

My family looked rather perplexed at the sight of me running around jumping with tears in my eyes. Two hundred and something minutes without scoring had tensed me up that much.

The Gunners were more confident now, and played excellently for the rest of the match. There were some scary moments in our defence but we kept a well-deserved clean sheet. Liverpool should have had at least one penalty though.

The second half goal for Cazorla was rather similar to the first. But it was just as special. The little Spanish sensation shot straight through the fumbling Reina, scoring his first goal in an Arsenal shirt.

It was a great match to watch and extremely entertaining. The Gunners will go into the international break with an unbeaten streak of three games and as the only team in the league who haven’t conceded yet.

Really looking forward the Southampton match. They’re a strong team as they proved, but they will face the league’s best defence. I fancy another clean sheet win for Arsenal.

Laters J

A Very positive Ghost

Several wrongs and a big Liverpool right!

Hello and welcome to this which for me is my first blog of the new season.

Firstly i'd like to thank all my followers for their continued support and kind words last season.

As im sure your all aware, i have now changed my name to KatiesGooner85 and that name change is due to my engagement over the summer.

In todays post i hope to cover a little bit of everything, my thoughts on the summer signings and my overall opinion on the club and finally the Liverpool game.

right so here we go...

In my 24+ years of supporting Arsenal i find it hard pushed to think of a summer as stressful as the one that has just passed us by. 3 great signings in Podolski, Giroud and Cazorla really had me excited for the new season, but as is always the way with Arsenal it soon went downhill. Rvp released that statement and Song followed him out the door a week after Robins "little boy inside" decided his piggy bank wasnt heavy enough.

With nearer £80m in the bank we all sat there on the final day of the window expecting Mr Wenger to put his hand in his pocket and spend some money, but as time ticked on and the closer it got to 11pm it became clear that it was never going to happen. Twitter was not a very nice place to be that evening and im sure some of you reading this read my tweets as i was rather vocal myself.

The question you have to ask yourself is why?

Why wasn't money invested?

Some blamed Wenger, some Kroenke and some Gazidis. I myself happen to blame all three.

Since 'Silent Stan' rocked up it seems we have been more interested in making money than the overall success of the club.

Gazidis seems unable to tie down a transfer target or renue a contract, and as for Wenger he seems the man that has to take the brunt of the abuse.

We've all been told to wait till January so thats what i'm going to do, and if nothing materialises then, then things need to be changed and certain people should be sacked.

Now onto the Liverpool game. A game which promised a lot and didnt fail to live up to expectation.

2 bloody 0!!!! what a result and so far the display of the season. Cazorla was superb, Podolski was strong and Diaby's play at times was mouth watering. The introduction of Steve Bould as assistant manager has made us look strong and im full of praise for the work he has done with the first team so far. My fact of the day is that out of all the 92 teams in the football league only one has conceeded no goals this season? can you guess who that team is? ;-)

Anyways enough from me for one day and i look forward to writing for you all again very soon

Much Love

@KatiesGooner85

Old Ladies & Arsenal!

Helllllllllooooo there sports fans!!!!!

Here we are back in the football season and I for one am a happy bunny!  Listening to everyone on twitter over the summer bitching and moaning bout who's going, who's getting signed, was like listening to a bunch of old women on the bus... LOL!! Glad that over, and the transfer window is firmly closed and we can get on with supporting the team.

We got a pretty good Champions League draw, with Schalke, Olympiacos, and Giroud's old team Montpellier. I personally think Schalke will be the toughest to beat.  If other seasons are to be brought in tho, we seem to step up to the harder teams and the lesser teams can't seem to get a goal in... Frustrating to say the very least, I know, but hey, let's look forward!

Right now with a slow start we are 13th on the Premiership table. Not great but at least the media isn't saying we're going down at the end of season, like they were this time last year and we finished 3rd and are still in the Champions League. Tomorrow is Liverpool at Anfield, we haven't lost at Anfield since 2008. At the risk of 'Murray-Walkering' it lets hope it's a win instead of another draw.  A win would put us up to 7th on the table and 6 jumps in the right direction!

There's alot of talk about players needing to gell with the rest of the team and this is where our magician of a manager comes to play.. Wenger will get them playing together and playing well. I have faith in our team and in our manager.  Yes, we lost RVP, but hell, he only played well for one season so what's all the fuss about? good riddance.  I doubt any other club has lost so many first class players almost every season and could still keep up!

Sooooo!  Heads held high, let's get behind the team and kick some Scoucer butt tomorrow!!!

Come on you GUNNERS!!!!!

Take care guys!
Surfergirl x