Clichy out for two months + Arsenal FC Weekly Podcast 10: Arseblogger’s back

A very good day to you all.

It’s Arsenal FC Weekly podcast time again as Arseblogger joins me to celebrate the wins over Tottenham and Liverpool and preview the week ahead. We discuss the confusion caused by Cesc Fabregas’ solo goal as well as the return of Manuel Almunia, so be sure to click the play button above and let the ear-magic begin.

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Just another reminder that you can subscribe to the Arsenal FC Weekly Podcast via iTunes (click here) or alternatively you can just subscribe directly to the RSS feed (click here).

It’s AZ Alkmaar tonight in the Champions League with a win enough to see us qualify for the second round of the competition. With Chelsea and Manchester United achieving that feat last night it would be great to see our boys do the same and given our excellent home record this season I can’t see anything but an Arsenal victory.

The (very) bad news going into the game is that Gael Clichy has been ruled out of not only this game but potentially two months with a stress fracture in his lower back. Clichy is of course joined on the injury table by Nicklas Bendtner – who strained his groin at the weekend – while Tomas Rosicky will return to the squad for the first time in a few weeks.

Clichy’s injury is an hugely surprising and immensely disappointing piece of news, however it does open the door for Kieran Gibbs to show what he can do over an extended period of games. Personally I’m not as convinced by Gibbs as a lot of other Arsenal supporters are – I still think he can be defensively naive at times, which is to be expected of a young player – but he’ll be hoping to give Arsene Wenger a headache when Clichy does eventually return to full fitness.

As I said earlier I expect us to win and win well tonight and there’s not much more to say, really. Enjoy the game wherever in the world you may be watching it and I’ll speak to you tomorrow on the blog.

Have your say on the Arsenal FC Weekly Podcast or the Champions League clash with Alkmaar by leaving a comment.

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Comments

  1. Damn pity about Clichy. I don’t mind Gibbs as a replacement. Hopefully he can do a ‘flamini’ at left back.

    What do people think about Gibbs’s crossing ability. I have a hunch he might be better than Clichy – which is not saying a whole lot because Clichy ain’t all that great at crossing!

  2. Too bad clichy is out, but i think gibbs is going 2 step up and make a impression in 2nite match . Gud luck 2 d gunners in 2nite match.

  3. gibbs is not better than clichy n thats a fact, there were times last season when we were really let down by gibbs and i still think it will be very sad for the two months clichy is away.

    this is more so if we let our momentum slow with the current from we are in rite now due to inexperience from some guy at the back

    Gibbs should prove that he can be counted upon when he gets called up to fill someones place.

  4. @ Rian Joubert , ya man it gonna create a weak point 4 d back 4 & a replacement is needed real soon

  5. Traore is back too, which means abit of pressure for Gibbs. Has to be a good thing cause I dont mind Traore at all as his crossing is better than both of the above……

  6. Hoping it is not the beginning of hard times for Arsen as we all know it is a big blow to the Arsenal Gunners as Clichy can’t be replaced wether by who.

    All we can do is to put our hope in the this skilled, but inexperienced left back. He pretty a good job last season, when we again lost Gael.

    Good game tonight.

  7. We’ve got a lot of games coming up so we’ll see some of Traore over the coming weeks. Gibbs will be alright.

  8. @ Rian Joubert , ya man it gonna create a weak point 4 d back 4 & just hoping aw gets a replacement during d january transfer window.

  9. Please Coach allow Nasri to replace Diaby in today’s game.Diaby is not a player that Arsenal can depend on.Nasri is 100% better tha Diaby

  10. For Clichy, we are not so badly off for the position of left back Gibbs can still do the same job very well. Clichy wish you a quick recovery.

  11. …Great guest! I could understand him quite well, I’m improving my English here, you know. 😉

  12. Hi Andy,

    You mention in your Podcast a Brisbane pub where you and other supporters, watched the Spurs game. Is this a regular occurance and which pub in particular.

    Cheers.

  13. In one way we’re lucky that it was Clichy who got injured, what if we’d lost Gallas or Vermaelen for 2 months?!!

    I’m confident Gibbs can fill his shoes, he had a fantastic game against Liverpool…

  14. It feels like the twilight zone… every year the same threat, that tottenscum have got our number this year; some 5th, 6th or 7th placed team is gunning for us; we’re too young for the grind of the year; that god hates us and we will never win Europe….yawn…the way I see it is, we are bound to win the Champions League….eventually, 4th isn’t all that bad as long as sp*rs aren’t 1st, 2nd or 3rd, I know I say it every season but doesn’t this feel like our year? do do do do.do do do do.do do do do.do do do do

  15. Hi folks,

    Here’s one my mate Jonny sent me courtesy of REDaction Gooners. Activate the link and read the article, very funny. 3-1 to us tonight lads.

    Hi all

    Hope you’re all still feeling as good as we are after Saturday. Just goes to show, never underestimate how poor Spurs can actually be. http://bit.ly/ W3oBV

    Anyway, Alkmaar tomorrow, in a game that can secure our progress to the knockout stage, and maybe allow Fran Merida to get some playing time in the last couple of group games. Obviously, being an evening game a few days after beating Spurs, the atmosphere should be great – but please BRING YOUR SCARVES to help make the stadium look suitably red and white. It will probably be cold enough to need it.

    Finally for now, our friends at Arsenal Herts & Beds have a great Christmas event running on 18th December, with Arsenal legends in attendance. They have a special offer for members of our mailing list this week only, you can book tickets for the very special price of £45 – just mention REDaction when booking. Details are here – http://bit.ly/ 2DLc8e – if you are planning a Christmas get together with fellow Gooners, this could be the ideal thing to do.

    That’s all for this week – come on you Gunners!

    Victory Through Harmony

    REDaction

  16. andy,
    really enjoyed that podcast,both of you are wel tuned in,wher is arseblogger from,his accent was a bit mixed?
    dissapointed with clichys injury but for me his form,by his own high standards, has been indifferent this season and maybe the break wil do him good, and in gibbs and traore i feel we hav as good a back up as any other in this position.remember when you talk about gibbs def inexperience you hav to know that the boss converted him from a highly promising left winger to his current position and i think he should be commended on the amount he has taken in already,if he continues to learn at this rate the skys the limit for him,ater all AW elected to send the very capable traore out on loan in recent seasons knowin that gibbs was the only back up for clichy,so he obviously has great faith in him.in sayin that i would like to see traore get the nod toni,its only fair he gets to stake a claim
    for tonis game id like to see cesc,RvP and diaby rested and give ramsey,nasri and maybe vela some game time….doubt that wil happen tho
    @gunnerboss,
    hav no idea where icehammer has gone,his objectivity and honesty are missed,wud hav especially love to hear his view on the westham game

  17. You know that Clichy is a quality player. Although his performances have been lacking over the last season and a half. He was once Mr Reliable, but that has not been showing as much in recent games. Gibbs is a quality player who I personally think is a bitter crosser, and is a good attacker. But as mentioned, his defending needs improvement. This is not just some improvement, it needs to be worked on. Against liverpool, we saw a lot of attacks originate from him. Yet when they attacked it did come from his side. CLichy i found has been relying much more on his pace, and less on his defensive positioning. I hope he gets better to show the form which helped him earn the premier leagues left back of the season. But with Gibbs as understudy, Gooners have not got a lot to worry about….

  18. Hey Aussie Gooners

    I will be in Sydney and Melbourne for about 3 weeks after the upcoming interlull.

    Any recommendations for pubs that will show Arsenal matches live in the early hours over there??

    Cheers!

  19. Cheers Bar(sydney) gets arsenal fans together for big games. Its on George St. Most games are usually showing on at sports bars so you shouldnt have any trouble finding places no matter what part of sydney you are staying at.

  20. I Think we will win this match and go through to the next round.Clichy’s injury is a big blow for us.This is gibbs oppurtunity to make his mark.
    COME ON GUNNERS…….
    “IN ARSENE WE TRUST”

  21. Not been here before but will defo come again. Always good to hear the thoughts of World wide gooners!!!

  22. yes,we must win and win if we want to achieve something this season and put are critics to shame and i believe gibbs can make it up for clichy’s absence.

  23. It’s only a month on the Arsenal website, and ‘a few weeks’ on the other sources I could find.
    Where did you hear this Spanish?

    Gibbs can fill in, but for me Clichy is still a better player. That said, Gibbs has the potential to be one of our best ever left backs, his pace gives his game a real extra dimension.

  24. Sad Sad Sad….get well soonest CLichy and Gibbs,show us wot u got…u gotta terrorize the opponents defense conclusively.

  25. So here we are again.
    Quite focused and determined play from Arsenal. They want to prove something;
    the goal, I just have to tell you, I haven’t understood it, I saw someone take a shot, and it looked as if the ball went far the post and touched the outside net, and then I saw a disput between the players, I thought someone was complaining that the ‘shooter’ had not passed the ball, I thought Fabregas was really angry, so strange, it was a goal, I couldn’t believe it, but frankly, the ball wasn’t sharp wasn’t it? I think it was a keeper mistake, maybe he had a bad view, but the ball scrolled into the goal, didn’t it?
    but it was a tough game so far, Alkmaar are really positioning well,
    then they played on still focused and determined, the goal from Samir, I have to tell you, how I saw it:
    it was a sharp pass towards him, I thought the first touch was excellent, and then the following as well, he baffled the direction, superb body turning, broke through the defence and then one by one situation, he managed it great to strike the ball into the corner near the post, great finish, great goal, and I saw it was a goal, definitely deserved, but the whole team deserved it, so hopefully no replay of the first leg, we will see 😀

  26. wot a goal that 4th goal was……….by the fan favourite abou diaby…smashin finish to be fair

  27. yes, they killed the game off in time, I just want to mention Shava in addition, he was quite quiet, but two wonderful assists, and of course Eduardos back heel kick, so well tempered, excellent, and Diaby scored!!! where are his critizisers? 😉 it may go on in this way……

    …the counter attacking goal from Alkmaar, well, consolation goal, Lehmann would have been run outside the goal and it would have been a yellow card with a penalty, so what? :mrgreen:

  28. ..yeah, I just forgot Almunia in luck as the ball touched the cross-bar, mentionable 😉

  29. Gibbs was great. For the whole 60mins.AZ targetted Gibbs as the weak link and he perform brilliantly.MoTM.

    That being said, Cesc is Class. Arshavin is back!!! Song was devastatingly good.

    shame bout the clean sheet though.
    i’m sure Almunia detractors will point that out as a reason for him to be dropped but really, its a defensive error. truth be told, i was expecting Lens to be tackled before he shot and i think Almunia thought the same too.

    great game.great team.

  30. Come on guyfrmars – Almunia was SERIOUSLY at fault . He is NOT – nor ever will be – a top class ‘keeper.Sure , he’s doing his best, but it’s not nearly good enough for a top Premier League side that wants to challenge for all trophies . We need a goalkeeper and Almunia is NOT a goalkeeper.

  31. whoever said abou diaby is an enigma,was absolutly spot on. You never know what he is gonna bring to the table,i just wish he could put in performances like this. Not because he scored,but he had an allround game,tackles seems to be improving,passing was better today than other days,who knows,maybe the sight of nasri,is pushing him to up his game. All round great stuff.

  32. @gunna shah,
    i think it was i who labelled him an enigma,after id called him everytin else!!!!ah no he was very good toni and we shud be fair to him when he does wel
    @billi,
    arsha set up the last 3 goals mate and it just shows his quality that he can produce such genius while only on the periphery of a game
    @guyfrmars,
    their goal toni was not a reason for almunia to be dropped but it was a prime example of his slow reactions and heavy footedness, he second guessed the attacker and anticipated he would shoot across him and in fairness it was a poor goal to concede…add this to the concrete argument that he manages to concede in games wher the opposition mite hav had as few shots on target as 4 and you can see why the ‘detractors’ are out there to begin with…i mean they had 4 shots on target and 3 were straight at him,the 1 shot where he was required to move or dive to get to and he fluffed,should he be dropped for that?no way but it just highlights wot iv said before
    can any1 tell me who it was on our side that angered cesc so much that he neglected to celebate his opener???i heard as he shot that one of ours yelled somethin about him not releasin the pass….strange

  33. the captain is in fine form and leading by example,took his 2nd goal superbly tonight and a good performance by the lads.for the first time this season i am begining to think we could win a trophy,also 3 assists by shava song,gallas and vermaelen solid and a great finish by nasri.andy good stuff with the podcast.

  34. Lets not crown Diaby yet. he usually does good against the small sides and poor against good teams. If he plays like that vs some of Europe’s best then I will be sold

  35. irregardless of Diaby’s goal. Review the match. How often does the ball get taken off him when he tries to do a trick. He can win it, but what good is that when he tries to just take it himself and just loses it. It’s frustrating. Diaby is a good player, who shows a lot of class. but he also shows a lot of immaturity.

  36. IMHO,
    To blame the keeper for that goal is abit harsh.
    There should have been 2 tackles, before he had the chance to shoot.Was watching the game and when i saw Lens going on through goal, he had 2 defenders on him. It was 3 vs 1. And at that point everyone was anticipating a foul for the handball in AZ penalty box.

    The defence just switched off. And i think that led to the goal.

    How bout looking at Alumunia reflex save earlier in that game.Slow reaction? i dont think so.

  37. @SHAMBO – What do you still think about the podcast and the faith in ALMUNIA considering the fact that he conceeded that cheap goal

  38. gunnerboss u know how i feel mate its just i dont wanna keep downin the guy,i do hav the upmost respect for him as a professional,in this regard i feel he is a great role model for the two young guys,but he is so limited in ability and has such slow reactions both physically and in his concentration…i feel we hav made our point on him at this stage and there is nothin to be gained by arguing with fellow fans who dont share our opinion ,i mean ultimately it has been AW who has been selecting him all this time,that is the real mystery my friend…i mean wer in a lose-lose here because we call it as we see it and get labelled as bashers and negative but when,and i MEAN when this guy gets exposed again in the near future an ‘i told you so’ will not be worth it as hel hav cost us by then
    really mate it is somethin that is completely out of our control,my only issue is is that when we come in and vent that people will actually use their brains and be honest when hes botched something

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