Premier League: 02/03 October

ESPN commentator: The person you have to feel for in all this is Chris Hughton


.....ummm no the person to feel for is the young lad with the broken leg :wenger:
 
This might just be one of those days when we get something off Chelsea, despite all the odds. I don't know why all the other Gooners are being so negative here. I know all our players are injured, but we've known for a long time that we have to play 90% of the season with our second string. Keep the faith.


I’ll tell you why:

Our recent record against Chelsea and Manchester United since we won at SB in November 2008:


P9 W0 D1 L8 F5 A20.


Our away record at SB doesn't feel me with confidence either, especially considering how well Chelsea perform at home.


2009/10 Defeat
2008/09 Win
2007/08 Defeat
2006/07 Draw
2005/06 Defeat
2004/05 Draw


Without Fabregas, Vermaelen, Walcott and RVP - Song and Diaby both looking well off-form - whilst we're stuck with either Fabianski or Almunia in goal - it feels like this game couldn't have come at a worse time.

Oh and then there's the small matter of containing Drogba with a new CB pairing. Chelsea will be up for this after losing to Man City - Drogba in particular after getting subbed in that game.

Believe me, I am trying to stay positive, and hope that the bulk of our players take this opportunity to prove themselves at this level today i.e Chamakh, Wilshere, Clichy, Kos, Squallici, Nasri, Arshavin. My fear is that even if they were to, our goalkeeper will cost us again with a major blunder.

I'd be delighted with a draw, but i am tempted to stick £50 on Chelsea just to soften the blow of a repeated mauling. I've never betted against my own team before though, it feels extremely low.
 
Ben Arfa with similar break as Valencia maybe.

Looks like Ben Arfa is getting stretchered of, but maybe nothing too serious, he's waving to the crowd.

Tackle wasn't nasty or anything, just a bit of a collision between two players, but he doesn't look in that much pain, or that upset.

Broken leg it looks like, poor bloke.

Ahh, nice to get some clarification.

Ben Arfa just broke his leg, after a very serious injury. He likes it though and does not seem in pain!
 
well it looks like maybe I was wrong, just seen a replay, where it looks like not his ankle, but his leg might be broken, his shin guard didn't seem to be in the right position.

Dyslexic...haha.

Nah, he just didn't seem to react in the way most players react after a severe injury, think back to every player in the last couple of seasons, and you had them writhing in pain, and pounding the ground, he just sort of lay there.

As for the wave, maybe it was him waving goodbye to the Newcastle fans :confused: because everyone else seems to think, definite broken leg.
 
Had the oxygen out, thought he might be in shock the reason why he wasn't flailing. Hope it's minor.
 
Commentators said it wasn't a foul. He went through the player with both legs. :confused:

Looked like a definite leg break though. You can see his leg bend as De Jong goes through him.
 
Quite a few empty seats due to the weather according to the commentator.
 
De Jong breaks Ben Arfas ankle and isn't even booked?

Tevez tackled cleanly and gets a penalty?

This ref's a homer.
 
Quite a few empty seats due to the weather according to the commentator.

More likely the shit they are served up on a weekly basis.

Regarding the tackle, on replay it doesn't look like 'just a challenge' his trailing leg, whips around to take out the standing leg, and of course that's the one that's supposedly snapped now.

But I guess Nigel De Jong isn't that sort of a player
 
The co-commentator on the international feed is dumb as a goose.
 
What are the Barcodes thinking of.Playing way to high up the pitch.
 
The co-commentator on the international feed is dumb as a goose.

If you're on ESPN it's Craig Burley. The man can't even pronounce "penalty", he calls them "pelanties".
 
City are going to win this by about 5 goals

Just watch

I guess if United could break some opposition legs then maybe they'd start winning big as well.
 
I’ll tell you why:

Our recent record against Chelsea and Manchester United since we won at SB in November 2008:


P9 W0 D1 L8 F5 A20.


Our away record at SB doesn't feel me with confidence either, especially considering how well Chelsea perform at home.


2009/10 Defeat
2008/09 Win
2007/08 Defeat
2006/07 Draw
2005/06 Defeat
2004/05 Draw


Without Fabregas, Vermaelen, Walcott and RVP - Song and Diaby both looking well off-form - whilst we're stuck with either Fabianski or Almunia in goal - it feels like this game couldn't have come at a worse time.

Oh and then there's the small matter of containing Drogba with a new CB pairing. Chelsea will be up for this after losing to Man City - Drogba in particular after getting subbed in that game.

Believe me, I am trying to stay positive, and hope that the bulk of our players take this opportunity to prove themselves at this level today i.e Chamakh, Wilshere, Clichy, Kos, Squallici, Nasri, Arshavin. My fear is that even if they were to, our goalkeeper will cost us again with a major blunder.

I'd be delighted with a draw, but i am tempted to stick £50 on Chelsea just to soften the blow of a repeated mauling. I've never betted against my own team before though, it feels extremely low.

Yes, you are absolutely right, but I would say that I'm more confident about us combatting Drogba than ever. It's Malouda v Clichy I'm worried about most.

But stranger things have happened - your statistics back up the fact that Chelsea should win, but who knows what might happen? Anyway, I'm off to the game now, and I'm staying positive 'til at least half time. Maybe Drogba will pick up an injury in the 5th minute after a particularly vicious Koscielny tackle? We can but hope.
 
Since the ref didn't even book De jong, doesn't that mean the PL can go back and look at the tackle to see if he deserves punishment for it?
 
Since the ref didn't even book De Gong, doesn't that mean the PL can go back and look at the tackle to see if he deserves punishment for it?

Not sure, but I think if the ref says he saw the incident and thought it was OK then that's that.
 
Am I the only one thats been mightily impressed with the barcodes this year?

Tbf, they aren't your typical promoted team, lot of PL quality players in their squad.

De Jong has broken 2 legs so far this season, and of course Karate Kicked Xavi Alonso in the World Cup Final.