Gooners Hoping To Avoid Choppy Waters
Apr 19th, 2013 by 'holic
Fulham away. It is a game I like to be at, although it is one that has become something of a banana skin for us in recent years. I have always fancied doing one of the boat trips to the game, but haven’t because Putney offers distractions I find hard to resist. Good food and ale is readily available. Sadly this season I will miss the game so once again I’ll be at the mercy of a stream of variable quality.
Variable quality is a phrase that sums up our record at the Cottage. Just one win in the last four trips, although over the longer term we have won 12 out of 25 by the river. The history books will also tell you that Fulham and the Arsenal could have been one club had Sir Henry Norris had his way, but that is for another time.
In the present we have some injury concerns and rumours but no hard news. Santi Cazorla, Jack Wilshere, Tomas Rosicky and Oxlade-Chamberlain were due to have further tests after an early press conference given by Le Boss on Thursday evening. The eagle-eyed will have spotted all four in the training snapshots on the official site, as well as Robert Pires. Hey Bobby, what is French for deja vu?
The important thing is that we have options available and the team that starts should be our strongest available based on a combination of form and fitness. Ask twenty Arsenal supporters what our best eleven is right now and you will probably get a dozen different answers. Whoever it is will surely have been encouraged by Fulham’s lacklustre display against Chelsea on Wednesday. However I’m sure you will recall their battling performance against us in the 3-3 draw at the Grove in November and their 1-0 win at White Hart Lane just a month ago. Throw into the mix Dick and Cock’s brother Martin, Berbatov, a couple of ex-Gunners, and you have a match that could be fiercely contested.
The ‘holic pound has been cast on a topical punt. Those who remember the game at the Grove will be aware that Mikel Arteta missed a chance to secure all three points from the penalty spot. I normally avoid the first goalscorer bet like the plague, but the 14/1 offer against he of the immaculate tonsorial opening the scoring is too good to resist. Get Theo running at either of Fulham’s centre-backs early on and who doesn’t fancy a spot-kick?
For those travelling over land and sea, er, I mean Thames, I hope you have an absolute blast. A match at Fulham really is like stepping back in time to a far more innocent age. There is no underlying menace in a springtime stroll through the park to the Cottage. We will make all the noise, and hopefully the team will respond with the precious points.
Comedy Night? You’re Having A Laugh
The Comedy Store provides a cracking night out at any time, but on May 13th., a Monday evening, it plays host to a very Arsenal-centric show being put on in aid of the excellent Homeless FA. You will find all of the details in this link. I make that a value night out for those who live within easy reach of London on a school night. If Mikel Arteta scores first at the Cottage I may even be there myself.
Please support a great cause and have a proper laugh at the same time. You know it makes sense.
Have a great one, ‘holics.
282 Responses to “Gooners Hoping To Avoid Choppy Waters”
Top of the shop.
Jol ’em up!
Hey Bobby, what’s the matter with your legs?
French for deja vu is vu deja, I think.
LuPo must play from the start.
Ah, here you are.
Cheers H. Will be likewise streaming tomorrow.
Good stuff ‘holic.
Fulham were crap against the Chavs so I think we can expect a bit of a bashlash, we’re going to be have to be on top of our game to get the desired result and that means no passengers. Anyone who isn’t 100% shouldn’t be in the match squad, let alone the starting XI. So if LJW’s still not there yet, then he has to be left out.
Woj
Gibbs Mertecielny Sagna
Arteta Ramsey
Santi
Poldi HFB Feo
I’d have TR7 in there, but have left him out for the same reason as LJW.
Looking forward to the ‘Don’t feed the animals, because it encourages the rats’ sign in Bishop’s Park tomorrow.
(or maybe it’s ‘don’t feed the birds’, whichever way, it’s the end of it that never fails to amuse me)
Top ten – like a trophy? π
What H2H said @ 7…..but I’d have TR7 on the bench if there’s a chance of him running around for 30 mins.
Nice preview BTW, Barkeep. Never been to the Cottage myself but looks a pretty wee ground.
Just go win, Arsenal!
How the hell are Montpellier not 2-1 up now?
I refer you to my 351 of the last drinks.
Fucking cunts. Got battered, should have lost that game ten times, and they score in the 94th minute of a 93 minutes game.
Unfuckingbelievable. Cunts, cunts, cunts.
Maybe we should organise a boat trip for the Holics next season?
Messin’ about on the river – sounds good. 8)
I agree about the backlash – however time for Martin Jowl to feel the backlash borne of the frustration of the draw against Everton.
COYRs.
Nice preview-I have been watching us against Fulham for a very long time and it was a place we always did well at. It has been much tougher of late and our last win was rather fortuitous and due to a Mannone wonder show (really he was superb). I travel with cautious optimism tomorrow
We should win tomorrow and if we do it puts lots of pressure on our rivals paricularly the scummers who i sense are preparing to wilt despite the fact they will get a much easier time in the media than we will/would if we failed to qualify for the top 4. Sadly Rosicky is not a quick healer and I doubt he will take part tomorrow but we still should have enough to win if we can impose ourselves on them. We fell away badly last season there but that was due to a lack of full back options. I hope Nacho turns out tomorrow at LB and we can impose ourselves in midfield where I think Jack should be rested and Ox start.
Hope everyone going enjoys it. Putney end for me and some drinks beforhand with some Fulham friends. Can’t think of many London opposition I want to drink with
COYG
Tomorrow will almost certainly be a very difficult game, but it is one that we are more than capable of winning. Get in there, do the job properly and get the three points. Easy, innit? π
ttg, the loss there last year was one of the hardest losses to take all season for me. That winner by Zamora with the last kick of the game still haunts me. “Why, Squillaci, WHY didn’t you just head the ball out for a corner instead of back in front of the goal???” I find myself thinking…
Does the HT Mark whatever float? If so count me in!
Arsenal till I drown!
A Happy Train boat trip to Fulham? Sign me up! π
Just bring your flippers and snorkel, Rear Admiral Wolfie is in charge!
Rear admiral Wolfie? I’m sure that’s something Tabs can get behind. π
Evening all. Holic, sorry you can’t be there. Doesn’t seem fair! Should be a very open game and I am optimistic about this one π Oh, if you could see the look on my face, you would all laugh… π You see I’m trying to block out the nervy holics, but I’m not gonna let them get to me π We shall prevail!
Just like Lars said, last season’s loss at the Cottage was a very bitter pill to swallow for me but, I do remember the Ref (Lee Probert?) delivering one of the worst officiatings of last season, he denied us a penalty when Gervinho was clearly tripped in the six-yard box the 1st half, booked Djourou for a non-foul and later sent him off, allowed Fulham to get away with rotational fouling and time-wasting e.t.c. I hope we don’t see a game that will have us talking about the officiating more than the actual game again. No matter how bad/good the officiating turns out to be, let’s get the three points. Up The Arse:
-: +!
Nice one Guv.
The Norris instigated ‘amalgamation’ sounds interesting. So does a Holic Boat up the river.
Haven’t I heard that deja vu joke before ? π
Should be a full house at the Cottage – hope the atmosphere doesn’t fall flat.
A Holic boat to get there? Ho,tell me more!
What we will need from whoever plays on the wings, is for him to
bung-a-low cross in for the HFB to smash home.
Three points should set us up for our normal residence in the CL. We can then, at the end of the season, write a May-sonnet as our poetic tribute to consigning either the Spuds or the Chavs to the Your Ropey League for another year.
“Admiral Wolfie’s havin’ a party, bring your flippers and your snorkel!”
Don’t forget a butt plug, Lars.
your flippers and your snorkel
Gerviniho and Giroud? π
Is there a British equivalent to tailgating parties that take place before football games in the states? Or is all left up to pubs. Just curious π Nite everyone π
Only at posh events like motor racing and horse racing. I think they do it at Twickenham rugby games too. Not at football matches. Car parking near grounds is usually awful. Pubs only. Or in parks or alleys with carry out beer.
Cent,
I love a committed Gooner but there was more to our defeat than the referee’s performance last year. Djourou was taken to the cleaners by a young Swiss winger and looked as if he was in trouble every time the ball went down the wing. We stopped playing in the second half and were very vulnerable to crosses (as ever). Both goals owed more to poor defending than great attacking. Coquelin at left back was our best player. It was the start of one of our bad runs last season and we need a much stronger performance tomorrow. At least Djourou won’t be there. Both he and Senderos have gone in the past few years at the Cottage. I think we have Marriner in charge tomorrow
Wolfie and cottagers? The mind boggles.
This is one of those three points a must and stuff the performance games.
Evening all.
Love the boat idea but for one thing. How do we all get match tickets? We could sail down to Putney and watch it in a pub I suppose…
Admiral Wolfie, you have a text message…
Sounds a good idea Holic. Is there a known pub in the neighbourhood that will show the match from a dodgy satellite?
Shouldn’t be an issue young sir. Some cracking boozers that way.
Well that would make a nice trip as long as the river isn’t frozen over.
Gimmie three points – any way, any how.
Nothing to add here. Honestly – perplexed what Arsenal shows up manana.
Were not in a crunch for the title, nonetheless, its squeaky bum time.
Much as i hate quoting sir purplenose.
C mon gunners!!!
TTG, fair enough, we were not at our best that night but the officiating was/is still one of the worst I witnessed last season. Yes, Djourou was, as usual, out of his depth at right-back and was torn a new one by their winger but it doesn’t excuse the fact that his 1st yellow was not merited.
Evening all.
Fulham is a trip I have enjoyed making previously but sadly not this time. It is always tough and with us so unpredictable you never really know what to expect. However, I do firmly believe that our best should be too good. But we will have to be at our best and take all three points.
A boat trip?????? Sounds fun. Seaman Stains, Roger the cabin boy etc. Bring it on.
Come on the Arsenal 3 points even if Fulham are a minor soft spot for me. And greetings to all the holics from the bt8bbgfg ancestral somewhere on the California coast. In two days I return to snowbound Minnesota. Unless the sun hasmade it that far north by then. If the 8 yo daughter weren’t with me I would try to go to a pub in SF for the game. I’ll be there and at the cottage in spirit.
rest of the curiousty guests have gone to their beds
yup
disbelievin fartknockinfucks
.
livin on a farm is interesting
very
.
mind you i get pangs of guilt for my footwear
Haven’t posted in a while as I went through a big move with the family. ( Kept up with the reading though ) Anyway, 12 points should do it. Tottenham can’t get to 72 points, 4 wins 2 draws in their last 6. We can screw up United and still finish top 4. Up Gunners
Oh Santi Cazorla let’s see some of that Santi Cazorla magic today. Or lots of it!!!
If there’s a HT boat trip next year to Putney then I’m going to bust a gut to get there!
I lived 18 happy years in Putney, just off the lower Richmond rd. If I walked from my house to Putney high st and around the block I would encounter 8 pubs. The vast majority good ones too.
One of my favourite places in the world, a little oasis in a big city. The seΓ±ora would move back in a heartbeat.
The basement at Dukes Head has a large screen, you’ll have to sound them out about dodgy streams though! π
There is one dodgy stream next to the ground… π
Heh. One of you (Steve T ??) has previously told us of the story of your kid’s geography homework, Madrid and Ronaldo.
I just had similar;
Catalan Boy lived his first 18 months in Putney. Getting nostalgic, I just had this conversation with him;
“Boy, do you know who The Arsenal are playing today?”
“Who ..?”
“Fulham”.
He looked up at me expectantly.
“And, do you know where Fulham is?”
“Tenth?”
5 year old logic…..! π
Hehehee Catalan gunner……change in the geography curriculum perhaps?
Awesome Dr C. Kids just provide you with the best moments.
Very impressed you remember the Madrid tale…..
Indeed KC!
Steve T. Can’t forget it – it was a classic!
@ 34
I am struggling to find the problem π
Dr Z knows
Boating down the river and then watching the game down the pub? Like zico, I fail to see where the “problem” bit lies π If we could get tickets then great, but it would not be a deal breaker for me.
Catalan, the little’un knows what is important to know in this life, it is good to see that you have done a proper job raising him!
8ball, some Santi magic today would do quite nicely. But as usual at this stage I’d take any win, and I must say that the more I think about it the more I feel that I will be bitterly disappointed if we don’t get all three points today. It is said that motivation beats class, but we should have both motivation and class today and with no disrespect to Fulham they should have pretty much nothing on us as long as we do what we should do.
Lars, Dr T, Holic – it’s settled then.
Bring on the fixture list. 8)
There is one dodgy stream next to the ground
Catalan gets the drink of the day award. That will not be bettered π
Heh @ dodgy stream and Dr C jnr.
Morning all.
Another massive heh @ dodgy stream and Dr C jnr.
Sounds like a good day out, tickets or not.
Morning Sailors,
Lovely preview ‘H and many thanks for the text.
Interesting to see who plays today. Whoever gets the nod, today’s game as SteveT might say is a “must win”. All set for a nerve-racking afternoon.
Went to to the Charity Arsenal Quiz night in the Tollie on Thursday. A top night, though it meant yesterday was something of a struggle. I think it’s the only Quiz night I’ve been to where nobody bothers with dishing out the final scores π
Taking part truly was all. In the absence of any official confirmation, I’m maintaining we won! (we didn’t).
Hehs at all the Rear Admiral Wolfie stuff π
Dr C – lovely stuff. π
A Speedo Party on the river?
Sorted.
http://www.wowfashionguru.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/wfg-pirate-2-1.png
tabs, in other words it was a bit like Homer Simpson once said: “Son, sport is not about winning, it’s about how drunk you can get!”
Ronnie the Rocket is off to a good start at the Crucible, you can’t really tell he’s been away from the game for a year. Me, I’m also hoping to be off to a good start in the form of a pint of ale or possibly lager in less than an hour. Fingers crossed for a good result at the Cottage today. Up the Arse!
Haha exactly that Lars π
Have a good one today mate. Fingers crossed. UTA
Get wally running at Fulhams center backs ? your the one having a laugh.
Drink of the day?
Oh go on then π
*basks in unaccustomed glory, phones Daily Heil offering to replace previous meedja darling*
Junior Doctor C, and “dodgy stream”. π π
Hi guys I’m supposed to be gardening, but decided to check whether bulgr channel was open for later. On adjacent channel they are replaying previous match – we are 0-2 up with goal from Adebay uuur
Was it 8 years ago really when Eduardo Hleb Flamini Gallas and Senderos were playing with Bac TR and Cesc. Oops off into garden and catch you later
True or False? :
https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/48006_564544153566333_895931744_n.jpg
Dr C – Haha π
H2H – False!
Hey bath @ 30, interesting. Guess a lot of fans use trains, buses to get to games. You Brits don’t know what you’re missing π But getting to a game by boat has captured my imagination … just as long as you don’t have to wear a life vest (they cover your curves ;).
Lifebelts covering (our) curves would be a pre for most of us, nursie. π
HI there H2H! π Guess what holics,TR starts! Can you believe it! Eandy will be in heaven π I’m a bit tipsy already… Anyhoo, stateside gooners, game is on ESPN Desportes. Los hombres mucho allegre y simpatico por Arsenal π cba, have you seen Were Wolf In London…be afraid lad π Excessive hair growth and an urge to howl at the moon usually occur once bitten. Esp. that far up π
Like the look of the team and the bench today. The boss got it right in my opinion.
Off to the Juicer.
Good luck everybody.
COME ON YOU GUNNERS!
Busy here in the bar today, De Ronde van Noord Holland (amatuer bike race) has been passing by from early this morning. aprox 6000-8000 passers by, so have been shifting koffie and apple tart like nobodies business, it’s now completly past so time to warm up the ol’ tv.Arsenaal are on channel 1, result, dutch commentry!
Game will just finish in time and after that got a big dinner party reservation. Saturdays, eh? π
Monreal and Rosicky playing again, really strong bench for us, come on you reds!
Coyreds
Setanta – http://tykestv.eu/streams/tykes/tykes-1/
Sorry about that
COME ON YOU REDZZZZZZZZZZZ
goooooo gunners!!! good moorning ‘holics.
Unlucky Feooo
Early scares!:O
Our passing is good n quick. Hi holics.
hi abb lets have a quick one please
unlucky kos
everyone looks lively.
Kos shouda done better, nice cross by Feo
hey abb
Hi aCG, Our lads look to be working on it. Nice open start, save that one scare!
unlucky with that over the top
That’s a RED
red
Sidwell π
wow ..red!
Finaly a ref with balls.
over the top to OG – a pleasant change
sidwell off for 2 foot on Arteta
fuck off sidwell
ouch..looked painful
Sure did. Is everyone training w Stoke!
totally two footed, no ball, no control. now, ref, keep your hand on your cards, they are going to kick hell outta us.
Sneaky
now Fulham will park the bus …and we will have to break them down..need to score quick to prevent frustration
Keep the tempo up guys, dont just walk around now, the game is not going to win itself!
Well saved Woj
nice save chez
Crackersave by WoJ!
Fabsave
whew
Woj is back!
gotta hand it to them, they threaten on the break.
complacency creeps in, I am strangely more uncomfortable now that we are playing against 10
Donkey vadge.
They are going to be more than happy to sit deep and let us pass around ..
Was thinkin that too. It’s that old “we’re down to ten men, so we must fight harder” mentality.
in contrast it looks like we couldn’t break a dish.
Feo must stay wide to stretch them
Not that abb, every team works hard against us, I more fear that we are going to put foot out of the pedal and be in that typical stroll around wibbly wobbly no penetrative kind of condition.
Nacho not adventurious like Gibbs.
Since as much as we love to keep possession and be on the ball all the time, I think we are at our best when counter attacking.
Have we had a shot on target yet?
Sorry Eandy, didn’t refresh. Don’t worry, we’ll get one in. We HAVE too!
this should be a theo game, come on lad!
og unlucky, good try
OG unlucky
OOoooo There’s one, unlucky OG.
Get walcott off disgrace to shirt
speaking of disgrace, there’s hector.
again by woj
Concentrate on the game
YEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
gooooooooooooooolllllllllllll
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOALAZZO! PER!!!!
BFG assist Kos.
Toppie
PER!!
Talk about the back doubles its a GOAL
COYR!!
That was a brillant goal
A goal cooked by the central defensive duo. How often does that happen? π
Doe E not know enough is enoh
nice way to end the half. and a sian massey sighting!!
Enoh trying to smile his way through the game π He’s a charmer working on a yellow. Went quick this half!!!
Not great, but 1-0 for, I’ll take that.
Typical that we’re up against ten men and we finally manage to score from a set piece. Strike quick in the second half and kill the game off, a few more strikes for the old goal difference and it will be mission accomplished.
COME ON YOU REDZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
I’m just so happy! Really, I mean we’re winning, and gosh it’s great to be alive and stuff π On my 3rd glass.
H2H knows.
Hi Abb.
goooo sunderland!
sweet mother of all’s that’s good and holy in the world
why the boolocks are we not taking advantage of this
mimosas, abb?
I think you have to say that, given everything, if we don’t win this game from here we don’t deserve top four.
Fulham still look lively to me, so it will take at least another goal and a bit of half time sorting out. We need to stay switched on – dropping points here would be a killer.
COYG
No Blush (doesn’t stain the pearly whites!) π
here we go, keep it tight and let’s have another two!
COME ON ARSENAAAAAL
no blushing after your third glass, you mean π
Ha Ha scruz π C’mon you rip roaring reds !
What a dive!!
did arteta touch him?
Running commentary H2H priceless
we aren’t playing particularly well atm.
Is abb always like this after three glasses, we must know to warn other drinkers
Cause I hardly drink!
Clearly it does affect you – you meant to say drink hard heh
nice 1-2
We play like shit.
we are going to concede
Yo lads, their goal is that way >>>
another blush for the lady, barman!
Be careful, Arteta, ffs!!!
Come on you gunners, cut out the sloppy shit.
it seems we are the team with 10 men
we are letting hem play into this game… 2nd goal please
Jack for Aaron and Ox for feo?
my thoughts acg.
ooo santis touch too heavy
what is the odd of 1-1, i want to bet on this
OK half right half Pod
TR7 & Feo (Both Anonymous) for Poldi and LJW
abc, well click on the banner above and then……………….
This is beginning to look a little ugly. I reckon with a two point lead, three games in hand and only three games left, event Sp*ds must be beginning to believe they’ll be able to finish above Everton, and that’s not a way I like them to feel. Come on you toffees!
COYG
i can feel fulhams sucker punch is coming
Oh ref you acknowledge offside then award the foul
fucking lucky
Thank you Sian Massey.
That was weak from Woj.
COYR’s wake the fuck up!!!
PHEEEW!
ref really wants that goal for fulham
Woj outstanding!
kill the game off ffs ..dont just pass it around
WTF are we bdoing???
COME ON ARSENAAAAL
Listening on Player – absolute torture as usual.
We are a man up right?
Sounds like the other way round.
Are we as bad as it sounds ?
Is that young abb with the flag there?
At Bristol Rovers v Accrington Stanley today (joys of family, still makes a change to be giving abuse rather than receiving it) Accrington sub has just come on for last 20, one Francis Jeffers a little less hair, but still ambling around……
Anyway back to BBC sport for another gooner update….
Wtf are we doing here.
We have an extra man, deeper squad and an extra day’s rest. Come on Arsenal!
Santiago oooooo
should have had a goal there
Yes Trev we are.
our passing has turned slow and a bit crap.
Has Giroud touched the ball this half?
A man up, a goal up, CL at stake,
Sounds like every second ball is won by Fulham.
Come On !!!
Radio commentaries should be banned by the NHS. π
Good for you Woj, MOTM for me. Per runner up.
“Sounds like every second ball is won by Fulham” – That’s REAL one-touch football.
COYG
uglyball
Playing against ten and WE have our backs to the wall.
Per working the back really hard. Heroics!
Just get the f*cking ball and pass it to the spare man.
Giroud off now. Brilliant.
og off. fuck
Well in Trev
not a red.
He’s not that kind of player ……..
Giroud..red..for fucks sake …you got to be kidding me
Hold up, now we’re down to ten.
Bad call ref.
Thanks Oxon, didn’t even realise !
OG had the ball there. Now Pod will have to start next maych
No way a red, come on….think that’s just trying to level it up but nowhere near as damaging as Sidwell’s…..so that’s a 3 game ban for Giroud with 4 to play.
Gervais anyone??
on tenterhooks
TV for santi
Calm down everyone. “I’ll take three points any way they come.”
COYG
Santi off, TV on! Hold the fort!!!!!
How much time added on?
fuck!!!!!!!
THANK FUCK FOR THAT!!!
Poor performance but 3 pts….it looks as though the handbrake has returned at just the wrong time i’ve gotta say
whew
Sounds terrible but we’ll take the three points.
Nice try by Jack to Aaron! Weird game. Fulham clearly in control of 2nd half. We need a striker. Badly.
skin of the teeth job but three points
YES!! poor display, great result, I am totally exhausted, Poldi to spearhead attack in remaining games.
This is my most up-to-date news of the match. WTF is going on, please – scruz, h2h
Fucking heart attack.
we are worst than 2-8 to man u
Right, OK. Thanks NB1, Eandy
but 3 points coyg111111111!!!!!!!!!!!!
Pool is beat Arry
Fucking hell.
We don’t make it easy, do we?
Three points is all that matters, but seriously: Yeesh.
Oh, and thanks abc11633 for your many balanced and well-considered contributions.
lurky has it, oxon. we won, but my heart still hammering…
scruz @ 215 !!
Please never ever do that so close to final whistle…i wasnt watching the match and reading that i almost had a heart attack…thinking they had scored..phew. π
sorry gpn, I almost threw my phone at the tv!
Player says: Ugly, ….. agony ….. Lack of dynamism …… Not enough movement …… Noone taking responsibility……..
Come on lads….. ?????
np Scruz! heres a drink to calm ur heart.. a round for evryone in the bara as well.. mann ! do we ever do anything easy???
Trev – It’s all about the result.
Second season in three years I just want the season over before we completely blow it.
WBA, Everton, Fulham …… We are riding our luck – and how.
I realise that Oxon, but we are really riding our luck to get the results.
Even Arsenal Player saying that some players looked like they were coasting.
Trev its points in the bag which put pressure on the down the hill neighbours
@235,
NO. π
AndCog,
You might notice I said that too, but Player are saying Arsenal made it comfortable for Fulham – slow, sideways passing etc etc
Cheers to Sunderland as well. Same again against the Spuds on the final day please!
Should have kept my mouth shut about guys thinking the game is in the bag the moment Sidwell got sent off, since it seemed that thats exactly what happened. No urgency, no pressing, just passing the ball around trying to run down the clock. That is dangerous tactics when you are just one goal up in a game you have to win.
Somehow I am confident that very different display is due against Manure.
Understand Trev I felt that we crowded the midfield when v 10, and Feo played more in the middle , neither of which helped
is giroud available for Manure now?
Important win.
In whole honesty totally undeserved. We were tactically inept, vulnerable on counter with, unwilling to create. If we play pedestrian like this for the four remaining games, nothing good will come out of them.
It is fair to say that even Fulham had been red carded they did not had man less, considering that Walcott was not on the pitch.
What he exactly did to deserve place in the starting line up is beyond me. He was useless both defensively and offensively, and I don’t think he will became any better this season. So, do us all a favor and bench the fellow.
On the other hand, think Kos, Monreal and Rosicky were outstanding.
3 points, 3 points, 3 points, 3 points……
We were shit but who gives one…?
I’m with bath@247 all day.
I can’t be believe we lost to Everton after seeing their result.
Shout out to the defence.
We currently have the second best def in the league, based on ave goals shipped per game. We are on course to markedly improve on last season’s wretched goals conceded stat. And they are seemingly dragging us over the line in games like today’s.
The back four of a couple of years ago used to crack under pressure. This one seems to hold firm, despite the toing and froing with keeper selection.
Kos and Mertesacker were superb today. I wonder what our record might have looked like if they’d been our first choice pairing all season.
Looking forward, I reckon that if our result next weekend matches or betters the LWCs against City then we will be well set for the run in.
Performances aside, we are the premier league’s form team at the minute, and the LWCs can barely remember what back to back wins look like.
COYG
I’m with bath too now it’s all over, but blimey ! π
Next season’s Holic Boat crew already raring to go by the look of things –
http://londonorca.blogspot.co.uk/2012_04_01_archive.html
π
Bugger, looks like you have to scroll down to the 8th image π
don’t know why it’s done that ?
Fair enough N7 on the performances.
Good job it’s only ManUre next week π
Must get a ticket for my daughter π
Heh – nice, easy one Trev!
Hopefully the blue Manc oilcunts will do us a favour tomorrow and take the pressure right off next weekend.
Would also be lovely if the scousers could have a point or more off the Chavs. We need that LWCs/chavs fixture to be an end of season play off for who joins us in Europe.
Boy, what the hell was that! A go-slow training session?
If only AW had named Koscielny captain instead of Vermaelen, he would have felt obliged to play him every game in the first half of the season.
That last was a response to N7 @250
19 points from 21 since the NLD.
Winning when playing badly.
I can live with these things. Pressure right back on the LWCs now.
Behindthe8ball – if Kos had been named skipper his form would probably be in the toilet right now.
That armband is cursed I tells ya.
Trev @251…you are falling under Wolfie’s spell visiting didgy sites like that, mate. π
Good to see multi-name boy back again. Is it a new moniker? Im losing count.
He’s certainly maintaining the standard of factual accuracy that we’ve come to expect.
Welcome back
Hmm, quick question…should we appeal Girouds red? He played the ball first, so I guess reducing ban to one game might be possible?
Three points in the bag. Chavski and LWC’s pants turning brown. Beers all around!!
Result over perfornance, but still……….
We will definitely contest the red card decision against Giroud. We should. At least reduce the ban to one match.
The entire team actually looked tired. For players like Cazorla and Giroud and Arteta — who have been playing consistently at full intensity for the last few months — it is explicable. Giroud I think has run out of steam entirely now.
TR7 was good I thought, if not spectacular. Kos or Arteta man of the match for me.
We all loved how Ramsey has been steadily improving. There were signs of tiredness from him as well — missed passes, clumsy tackles — but I think the Gervinho-esque loss of composure at the final moments when he was put in clear was very poor. Those are the kind of goals he should start scoring to get to the confidence level he needs.
Poldi as well looked leggy when he came on, rather surprisingly.
Assuming Giroud misses out against Man U, won’t be surprised if we start with Theo up front and Ox on the right and Santi on the left with TR7 playing centrally.
Do we just enjot making things more difficult for ourselves? Nothing irks me more than people who get way too comfortable way too easily and that’s what most of our players seem to do anytime we go a goal up in a game. I just want to believe they were preserving energy for the Manc game. In the end I’m glad we got the three points.
Another quick question…
Say we hadn’t been so woeful today, and after Sidwell had gone, we’d stuck 4 or 5 past Fulham. How many would have been on here complaining (and how many trolling) that we were “just flat track bullies”?
You’ve got to take the rough with the smooth. Today was, on balance, one of the smooth ones. Here’s to four more of the same this season.
COYG
Eandy @ 262: Yes, we should and if FA is fair then it should be turned into at least a one game ban, at most full cancellation. He got the ball first and the challenge was not two-footed.
Doctor F knows.
Oxon, I’d take four more performances like this so long as we get the maximum points but I’m not sure my heart can take it.
Had a perfect stream today but watching that display was agony. No energy,no pace, no ideas when we got to the 18yd line resulting in minimal chances,poor crosses and to compound our woes we’ve lost our one and only centre forward for 3 of the last 4 games. We were very fortunate to get away with the points.
Where was the Ox, should have started instead of Theo, who was anonymous.In fact none of the attacking players had a good game but fortunately Sir Ches, the BFG and Kos held things together at the back.
Next Sunday’s attacking line-up should be interesting.We are certainly riding our luck at the moment, may it continue for at least another week. Today’s match was a game to forget, the saving grace was the 3 points.
As always COYRs
If we’re wondering why the players looked in first gear today, maybe we should look at the Everton result. That midweek game was like a cup final, probably took a lot out of both sets of players.
Our best performers today were Kos, BFG, Monreal and Rosicky. Half of whom didn’t start on Tuesday.
Performance was crap but I’ll have the points. They gave it their all against Everton, so it’s not just a matter of the players being lazy.
We should have won that more comfortably against 10 men, but as I said earlier, three points was the must have and stuff the performance, so job done.
Dr F@268: nor was it studs up.
N7 @ 271: Agreed, as I mentioned it is a question of tiredness. The thing is the way we are set out to play — intricate high-tempo combination game that relies on continuous movement — these types of performances are not unexpected towards the end of season. The worrying part is though what if we were still competing in CL and FA Cup — as we should *ideally* have been — and in the coming season that is a part the management needs to keep in mind while thinking of squad composition.
Koscielny I know would not get into any PL pundit’s ‘list’, but IMHO he has been excellent all throughout the season, as good as last year, and one of the best defenders in the league. And the Per-Kos combination has worked really really well.
Is it tiredness or that Santi has less impact when he plays wide so the team looks less creative overall?
NBN @ 274: Exactly, but we should not really hold our breath on FA making the right decision if we appeal.
BTW, Giroud should learn a bit of real play-acting when absorbing those vicious challenges … not of the failed thespian category of Drogba, but something more pronounced than the exasperated shake of head. All season he has been hacked up but didn’t get 1/10th of the free-kicks we should have.
Vince@276: Fulham today showed why, surely?
Not seen any of the game. Sounds as if we huffed and puffed a bit but got the all important 3 points. Let’s hope the Spuds play a half fit bale, lose and end up with him out for the rest of the season.
On a massively positive note I am just about to start the first bbq of the year. I have some, tandoori chicken, jerk chicken, some pork and some homemade burgers awaiting my attention. All to be washed down with a barrel of Adnams that I have with my name all over it.
Enjoy holics.
Everton game really did took a lot from the players.
On the other hand, how the hell Chelski manage to play on three fronts and beat comfortably 3-0 this same Fulham side three days ago, eleven vs eleven?
I am just curious. Is it fitness issue? I really do not know the answer, but I think it is somehow connected with the tendency of our players to constantly get injured. I may be wrong though.
Vince, Mary, Doris, or whatever your name is, if you are going to continue to snipe without reasoned debate, then kindly fuck off. I will just continue to delete your garbage.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Vince, agreed. In fact you’re so right I’m getting out my best headed paper and fountain pen to write to Peter Hill-Wood, informing him that Wenger, a manager with many years’ experience coaching at the top level of pro football, ought to be sacked forthwith and replaced by a keyboard warrior who probably stacks shelves for a living but has played Championship Manager A LOT.
I’ve also ordered a case of Dom ’59 in preparation for the treble we’re guaranteed to win in 2014 under your expert tutelage.
http://t.co/MMdxvcM7XV. Have a read people.