PL: Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal | Sunday July 12 | KO: 16:30 BST | Sky Sports

[Hunta]

Lacazette and Aubameyang usually bottle this fixture. Some of their misses in the last couple of years are ridiculous.

 

[<<reed>>]

The important thing is hes already giving the players an excuse to lose in their head.

You are naive if you think this is what he tells them in the dressing room

 

[Big Poppa]

It isn't just pundits though. 2015/16 over the whole season, we had the most clean sheets, the second least goals against and the best squawka stats for interceptions, tackles and headed clearances. Yet still the pundits and even our own fans were saying that Arsenal were clueless in defence. That's how powerful a narrative can be.

We took several beatings against big sides in important matches and kept something like 3 away clean sheets in 3 years I think that’s why.

The narrative which I don’t disagree with has been about us being mentally vulnerable and having a soft underbelly rather than our overall defensive ability. It’s the difference between challenging for top 4 and challenging for the title.

It also has a lot to do with comparisons with our defensive strengths during Wenger’s peak years.

 

[Hleb's Sirush]

it was always going to be the referee or the fixture list to blame

In this case he has gone for both. He has been having a proper go at Oliver. Not like Oliver needs to be put under pressure to screw us over. Saw a stat that said he has giving us 2 penalties while awarding the opposition 10!

 

[Jasard]

Hate this fixture because the mood swing potential is unreal. Lose and we are back to a depressed angry fan base, win and we should get St Totteringhams day and as meaningless as it is... We could all do with something to celebrate.

 

[Monstar-Gunn4r]

You are naive if you think this is what he tells them in the dressing room

You're taking the piss right? Like you cant really believe anyone would think that hes just like give up they've more rest? Whats funny is he probably is saying this in training to try and get them in to a siege mentality (he does it at every single club ie. everything is unfair and everyone is against us) but their confidence is brittle right now and it will likely backfire.

But even if hes isn't trying to get the siege mentality going, and this may be shocking for you to find out, players watch sky sports and read interviews with their managers.

 

[Taylor Gang Gunners]

Guys got as many PLs as us, plus a few CLs and a bevy of foreign trophies. Think he’s still got plenty of ammo.

Couldn’t care less.

 

[Hunta]

Who would you like to see get jumped by four boxers more, Dele Alli, Lamela or Son?

 

[Makingtrax]

We took several beatings against big sides in important matches and kept something like 3 away clean sheets in 3 years I think that’s why.

The narrative which I don’t disagree with has been about us being mentally vulnerable and having a soft underbelly rather than our overall defensive ability. It’s the difference between challenging for top 4 and challenging for the title.

It also has a lot to do with comparisons with our defensive strengths during Wenger’s peak years.

Don't disagree with that. If you've got less money than the oligarch clubs, like us for years, you have two choices: sit back and defend like most teams do and hope for a counter, or attack hard and fast, Wengers strategy. It was a one trick pony idea, do one thing well. It was very successful, but the occasional drubbing when you're exposed against sides that had quality all over the pitch was inevitable.

 

[sdotzdot]

Anybody into UFC? The fight card tonight is incredible, been waiting all week.

Please Arsenal, make this the perfect weekend tomorrow.

 

[African Flair]

Thanks for the tips. Might try that Diplomatico. Was going to try to find a bottle of Zacapa 23 Centenario.

Mmm that's good. For me it's a tier to high but it's class. Would definitely give Diplomatico a try though if you haven't.

 

[Taylor Gang Gunners]

Who would you like to see get jumped by four boxers more, Dele Alli, Lamela or Son?

Probably Son. Alli is a bellend but he’s been robbed a few times so I feel a bit sorry for him. I don’t really mind Lamela too much- plus he’s **** so whenever he plays for Spuds he makes them worse.

Son is an arrogant ****er.

 

[Hunta]

Probably Son. Alli is a bellend but he’s been robbed a few times so I feel a bit sorry for him. I don’t really mind Lamela too much- plus he’s **** so whenever he plays for Spuds he makes them worse.

Son is an arrogant ****er.

Lamela is a dirty little ****, should be sent off every time he plays.

And he wears eyeliner.

 

[dashsnow17]

Lamela is a dirty little ****, should be sent off every time he plays.

And he wears eyeliner.

That's not the worst of it...

 

[Hunta]

That's not the worst of it...

Disgusting, looks like he’s dipped his head in a tub of lard before the game.

Dirty bastard.

 

[roz]

In this case he has gone for both. He has been having a proper go at Oliver. Not like Oliver needs to be put under pressure to screw us over. Saw a stat that said he has giving us 2 penalties while awarding the opposition 10!

Annnnd thats my bet for tomorrow sorted

 

[GDeep™]

Who would you like to see get jumped by four boxers more, Dele Alli, Lamela or Son?

Sonny. Can’t put my finger on it, something unlikeable about him.

 

[GDeep™]

Anybody into UFC? The fight card tonight is incredible, been waiting all week.

Please Arsenal, make this the perfect weekend tomorrow.

Incredible is abit strong. I think it’s ok. If Usman lies on Madvidal for 5 rounds I think it’ll be a downer.

Pumped for tomorrow, I’ll be down for a few months if we lose though.

 

[sdotzdot]

Incredible is abit strong. I think it’s ok. If Usman lies on Madvidal for 5 rounds I think it’ll be a downer.

Pumped for tomorrow, I’ll be down for a few months if we lose though.

That’s Usman’s game, but he’s great at it to be fair, but masvidal is a warrior so he won’t give in easy. Although still don’t see him beating Usman.

But the whole main card is fantastic, three title bouts and rose vs Jessica rematch, pumped.

Yeah if we lose tomorrow I’ll have to be eyeing up a Chelsea top, their team is looking nice.

 

[Monstar-Gunn4r]

Don't disagree with that. If you've got less money than the oligarch clubs, like us for years, you have two choices: sit back and defend like most teams do and hope for a counter, or attack hard and fast, Wengers strategy. It was a one trick pony idea, do one thing well. It was very successful, but the occasional drubbing when you're exposed against sides that had quality all over the pitch was inevitable.

I'd disagree, if you look at the accounts and the teams we had over the years, we just needed to spend the money we had. Missing out on Alsonso for 1-2 million more, not bringing in David Villa when he was begging to come here to persist with Bendtner, same with David Silva, Gervinho instead of Hazard, bringing in Mertesacker instead of Cahill, not bringing in Van Djik because he was too calm but bringing in Mustafi for 40 million, trying to lowball our star players with sh*t contracts and giving our sh*t players massive wages etc. etc. The problem wasn't so much as what happened on the pitch as off of it. We could have had quality easily enough but we saved in the short term and damaged ourselves massively in the long run.