Wenger is just embarrassing himself with some of his quotes now. He has declared that there wasn't much between Arsenal and City, explaining that as well as the bad referee calls, under 'expected goals' Arsenal had 0.6 and City had 0.7 - which proves how close the teams are. Firstly City had 1.9 and arsenal had 0.3 so he is wrong but anyone with a pair of eyes can see there is a huge gap between the quality of Arsenal and City. City are 12 points ahead of us after 11 games. At that rate they will finish 40 points in front!

Evening chaps. Look, I suspect bubblechris is an Arsenal fan. I wouldn't have thought he might not be were it for Top Gun's post. I really don't get Top Gun's comment about a clue being in the name. Does 'bubblechris' imply support for another club? I've been simple and presumed he's of Greek heritage (the 'bubble' bit) and his name is Christopher (the chris bit).

Having said that, I think he has some barmy ideas. But that alone doesn't mean he isn't an Arsenal fan. Countless Arsenal fans do. I get the impression he dislikes Sanchez, but I think loads of genuine Arsenal fans do. I don't dislike him, but accept he isn't really a likeable character (in my view anyway). He's a very good player for the club (I'd count him as no more than that compared to the true greatness of the likes of Henry, Bergkamp, Brady, Vieira, Pires, Campbell, McLintock, and others). However, of the recent generation of Arsenal players, has there really been anyone better? I can't see anyone, and I've seen every single Arsenal game in the meantime. So I rate Sanchez highly, very highly. But he isn't a footballing genius, let's be realistic.

Goodness mate

https://youtu.be/yvuOtlpSAeY

I will always jump on the anti-Wenger bandwagon. He is a joke.

Mike Dean the spurs fan is the ref for the north London derby this weekend. Spurs win a lot of penalties against us and mike dean is notorious for being the ref who gives more pens than any other ref in recent history. It is like Dean is making a point of saying he’s brave enough to give pens, irrespective of whether he is making the right call. I hope we’re on our guard and making sure we throw ourselves at the slightest contact in their box

Wenger asked for him so he will have an excuse in case it goes pear shaped.

Here is part of Wengers after match interview that he has prepared which follows on from some of his recent interviews.

Journo :What could Arsenal have done better:

I am sick of all these pointless questions from someone who has never managed a team. So let me explain...but we got .375 of a portion to their .469 and with the easterly wind that is sufficient for me to make a decision to play Walcott in goal for the second half....Čech will not last forever...duckworth lewis....minus the square root of F A.

Journo : So were you happy with the referee.

I hope Gael doesn't read this. He'll be devastated......

Seriously though, I would rate RVP above Sanchez. Obviously, the way he left the club tarnishes his standing as an Arsenal player, but he was absolutely phenomenal in his final two seasons with us. He was undoubtedly one of the best strikers in the world at that time. As good as Sanchez is, I don't think he is one of the top 3 or 4 in the world in his position, which is what RVP was.

I wouldn't argue with that dec. Sorry, by 'recent generation of Arsenal players' I was talking more about current players.

Fair point as I'd never thought of that. I suspect both your and my ideas are feasible though.

These days, its almost a requirement. So I can't see how that would single him out.
But I agree with your post. Not sure what Top Gun is on about.

Not being racist but I assumed bubblechris was of Greek descent....the old rhyming slang...bubble and squeak etc...didn't connect it to the Hammers at all

You're right chaps I am not a Hammers fan. I did go to West Ham once. Vieira was sent off for spitting i think. He was getting the shite kicked out of him and reacted. Swore I'd never go again it took ages to drive away from the ground.

What's daft about realising before everybody else that Sanchez was not good for the team and for calling Ox a loss before others started? Was it saying that a goal shy Welbeck was no use to us or that I thought Zaha Walcott were as bad as each other?

Can't think of anything else you might consider daft and wonder if it's not me that's the daft one.

TG has just proved what a child he is by making such a pathetic assumption or was it just to get back at me for saying he wasn't a gooner some time back?

As explained earlier, exactly my thoughts too.

Would a Greek call themselves that? I'm not so sure.

Fan of other club trolling, sort yourselves out lads. Bromleys right, comes on here trolling which is more of a giveaway than the name if that's not enough alone

Do you seriously not think we look a better team when Welbeck is in the lineup?

I think there are plenty that would. Heavy dose of irony, I accept. But I reckon so.

I'd take Zaha and so would Rich. Our West Ham supporting Greek colleague would take Theo. What does the rest of the forum think?

Yes I think he's a great player but not what we need in a front 2. He plays as a winger and that's not what we need, imo we need Welbeck to be a goalscorer.

I don't think I said I would keep Walcott I believe I said they were too similar but one had a better end product the the other.

When Sanchez goes we have only one out and out goalscorer. I believe we've all been saying for a long time that that was what we needed.

Isn't that what Lacazette is supposed to be?

If ever you needed to demonstrate somebody was on a wind up

Stevie Wonder just called by the way and he takes Zaha as well

I rephrased that quote but are you happy having just Lacazette, and or Giroud as our only back up?

If you don't consider him worthy of a mention, I think you seriously underestimate Welbeck.

Well Iwobi just scored 2 goals to give Nigeria a win. Giroud scored for France, Eddie for the U19s. I can't recall Welbeck's last goal or when he last had a good run. Of course I hope he makes it but can the Arsenal wait for him to come good?

We need another goalscorer when Sanchez goes, maybe sooner as he's not exactly banging them in. Can we afford to wait?

.

The irony ..... most find international week a pain in the arse not having club football yet when that same club football is played...for us it's usually cue for gnashing of teeth and hair being torn out in clumps .

I think the FA should get some balls and play matches at this time it benefits the minnows ; who are at a disadvantage for the rest of the season against mega $$$$$$$$$$

On the Bubblechris affair .....[ of which I have little interest ] though it does spice things up

An argument between Bubblechris and Top Gun who obviously dont like each other ; with the latter busily trying to organise a tag team to gain the upperhand .

Greeks and West Ham are thrown in to adversely typecast the former .

bubblechris, being a striker isn't only about how many goals they score. Welbeck has a very strong all round game outside of his goal scoring and that's why we look a better team when he's playing, which I thought you accept yourself. He gives us physical presence, pace and power in attack, as well as a terrific work rate. In my view, considering our squad as it stands, he gets in Arsenal's strongest side.

Indeed. TG protesteth too much, you think? Top Gun is an anogram for got pun. I think that's may be significant although for the moment I can think of what it might imply ...

Nevertheless, we can't be too vigilant. The forum may be crawling with third columnists who make thousands of posts in order to get deep cover and so they can ... I'll get back to you on that one too.

Perhaps you missheard and he said "I just called ... to say .. I love you"?

He scored twice tonight against the Germans....

Well he should be our goalscorer but Wenger has decided he is not good enough to have a starting place in big games. So we should be asking Wenger this question.

Zaha over Theo

I think Iwobi will eventually come good. Perhaps in the latter half of this season. He needs more exposure to success and failure. The experience will build him.

I think in Arsene's arse backwards way of thinking he likes to keep a bit in reserve , hope to keep the scoreline blank and bring on his aces when the opposition are tiring .

If I was Lacazette I'd be saying to Wenger ....." I had better start v Spurs , Man U and Chelsea otherwise I'm heading back to Francais Land"

WC year so Lacazette needs to play.

On the WC - Aust game about 20 minutes away and your lot play in Peru tomorrow morning. Lets hope both of us are there.

Bergkamp would never have played for us if he was an Aussie. The last mach about to start. If you looked at Sydney as our home then the team has travelled 212,000klms to get to this point.

How is Philly these days? I will be visiting family in Willow Grove (Montgomery county) some point in 2018. Also have some business interests I am looking into.

I was shocked to hear the Brewertown/Fishtown area is like South Street these days. That area was a dump years ago.

PS: Thinking someone is Greek isn't racist.

I hope I can have the last say and sincerely hope Welbz proves me wrong.

Last 10 games - 4 goals and 1 assist

I rest my case and hope he comes good........

Not sure what you mean by resting your case. What's so wrong with 4 goals and 1 assist in the last 10 games? Sounds pretty good to me.

I just had a look at Arsenal.com at 22.15 (or 10.15 pm). The home game against Tottenham, less than three days away, is still on sale. Am I the only one who finds that frightening? It's the North London derby, one of England's biggest local derbies (along with the Manchester and Merseyside ones) and the club are clearly struggling to sell it out (I suggest it still being on sale within three days of the game shows that). I disagree with Top Gun about bubblechris being a West Ham fan. But I do think he could easily be right about Arsenal being in a weaker position on Wenger's departure (if it is 2019) than it was when he took over in 1996, so 23 years earlier.

Wenger's time at Arsenal has to be seen in two phases, if not more. The Highbury years were sensational, the Emirates years in my view anything but. Clough's time at Nottingham Forest surely has to be seen in the same way. European Cups followed eventually by relegation. The poles may not be as extremely apart for Arsenal under Wenger (I can't see us winning the Champions League or dropping into the Championship before he leaves). But the principle looks exactly the same to me. Like Clough, Wenger is a past it has-been who thinks staying in his job is more important than the future of the club he's previously claimed to love.

EDIT: It's still on sale at 11.38 pm, or 23.08 Wednesday evening, 15 November. Less than two and a half days before the game.

Wenger ( ) first phase= revelation, admired, seeked out, masterclass
Wenger (:20hospitals: ) today = stale, predictable, boring, past-it, clueless