Gunners Set Sights On Third Place
Apr 12th, 2013 by 'holic
So Norwich at home it is. I suppose it is fair to say it is not one of the most eagerly-anticipated fixtures in any football calendar, but strangely three home games with the East Anglians have stayed in the forefront of the memory, or rather one didn’t!
Four days before Christmas in 1979 was a bitterly cold Friday night. Some bright spark decided it would be a good idea to play on the Friday as the attendance would surely be hit by Christmas shopping the following day. They got that wrong. On a raw and snowy night I remember taking plenty of warming fluids on board at the Hen & Chickens prior to the game. The following morning I recall phoning the ‘holicDad to inform him a miserable night was made worse by our 0-1 defeat.
“My paper says we drew son.”
Sure enough we had. I did not miss a minute of the game, I remain convinced to this day, but I completely missed a Frank Stapleton goal, possibly because the roar of just 18,869 supporters didn’t shake me from a daydream of watching in sunnier climes!
A decade later football recommenced after the Hillsbrough disaster with a televised match from Highbury between sides lying first and third in the top flight. That Arsenal won 5-0 and took a giant stride towards the title was overshadowed by a feisty encounter which saw both sides brought up before a disciplinary hearing after a 21 man brawl.
Then came the most recent meeting of the sides in North London which remains imprinted after Bradley Johnson’s stamp on Bacary Sagna left the Frenchman with his second broken leg of last season. I think it is fair to say he has not been the same player since.
Forgive me if I say I hope for a less controversial encounter at the Grove this time around. That one sour note apart Norwich impressed last season as we stumbled to a 3-3 draw in pursuit of a top four berth. Strange it is that this season the fixture gives us an opportunity to leapfrog the neighbours and the bus stop in Fulham to claim third place in the Premier League once more.
With the crucial visit of Everton coming up there seems to be a groundswell of opinion that we will rotate a little for this one. There is danger in that approach for me. I would sooner see our strongest fit eleven starting every match with so much at stake. Having said that we have Jack Wilshere coming back from injury and Tomas Rosicky feeling a hamstring at the moment so there would be some sense in starting the younger man tomorrow and the in-form Czech in the week.
The main concern for Norwich is between the sticks. Third choice Lee Camp is in line to start with Mark Bunn a doubt. Visiting goalkeepers tend to be inspired by the surroundings at our place so I won’t hold my breath waiting for a mistake or two there. The ‘holic pound seeks another open encounter with a marginally better outcome for us than last season. Shop around to find 30/1 against a 3-2 home win.
Quite a selection of you will be at the ‘juicer of choice’ tomorrow, so have a good journey and do say hello before and/or after the match. Let’s hope we are celebrating a profitable triumph and that third place afterwards.
Have a good one, ‘holics.
385 Responses to “Gunners Set Sights On Third Place”
Sweet revenge.
Runner up?
Bronzed!
18,1869 including me !!!
Wet, windy, freezing night on the North Bank that was.
Might see you over the railings tomorrow – daughter in tow again. Goal fest guaranteed, but i’ll be a bit more optimistic than 3-2. It’s 4-0 for me. π
Damn, that’s not even a number. 18,869.
Nothing raw about Snowy, top man. π
See yer tomorrow, H. A glass of medicine awaits to get me through the last sleep.
This way then! Cheers ‘holic!
No Customer meeting this time, zico?
Cheers all. Hope you gents and ladies have good weather and witness a 4-0 cruising. I’m with the Trev Daughter.
It should be noted that of our remaining games we only won one of the equivalent fixtures last season (and we lost four of them). Let’s set things right this time, starting with tomorrow. If we can win all three games before the Spuds next play, I might actually start to feel confident of a top three finish.
The good weather seems to want to wait until Saturday sadly, NorCal.
Rain tomorrow π
And by ‘Saturday’, I mean ‘Sunday’ , I truly am a fucking mess this week…
Hope I feel better tomorrow.
Ollie @ 8
Not till Monday π
π
Folks, you’re missing the bigger picture here. Holic is human, after all! Whew. I mean, to go to a game and not know your team didn’t loose … hmm. Just kidding π
Haha Dr Z! π
Right, I’ll try to go to bed not too late, perhaps a good night’s sleep will do me well.
See you tomorrow, and safe travels, travellers!
Well, I seem to have what is ailing our Ollie π “didn’t lose”. That’s what I get for being a smart ass π
Ollie,
Ah I see. I will not post today’s weather here for fear of a ” fuck off, NorCal ” fest. π
Enjoy Holics. Sounds like a good number of you will be there.
Us yanks will have to settle for watching here in the bar.
Cheers.
The main concern for Norwich is between the sticks.
I agree but I’m not starting another goalkeeping debate….. π
I was there that snowy night in December 1979. I’d just moved to a new bedsit just off Blackstock Road. I took a mate. We had a few in the Bank of Friendship first then I urged him out of the door “to get a good spot”. I got a few rude remarks from him when it became apparent there were very few on the North Bank that night! Gerv, Giroud and Poldi up front for me, Jack & Theo on the bench. Won’t be there because just ending holiday in Florida. Back in time for the Toffees though!
Hahaha, how can you watch a game and not notice when a team(your team) scored? Ah, you must have taken one too many of ’em ‘warming fluids’, well played though.
I’m trying to imagine the shock on ‘Holic dad’s face when you told him we lost. Nice preview by the way.
Holic how you could have counted the exact mumber of people in attendance but missed the only goal scared shall remain a mystery. But it is mildly amusing. π
Mumber = number ; and scared = scored
Not sure when I’ll learn to type decently on this little device.
6-3 the score. Or more.
Heh @ 21.
Not knowing the result can’t be that unique. Quite a few of those that always leave early no matter what the scoreline is must have had the same experience a few times but, I suspect, for slightly different reasons π
If we don’t win tomorrow it’ll be our own fault, it’s all about approaching the game in the right way. If we are focused and play like we should do then we’ll win it.
Early night for me, gotta be rested and ready for the Brolly tomorrow!
Up the Arse!
Nice one ‘holic.
I was at that Friday game too, bloody ‘tatters it was.
I can’t see Norwich knocking two past us, unless we are being extreamly generous, they’ve only scored more then one away once this season (against Swansea).
I to am of the opinion we need to play the strongest team available, only rotate if necassary, that said, I wouldn’t be adverse to see the corperal getting a run out.
For all those going, enjoy your day.
Never been tha bad ‘ Holic but I can understand how it happens. Can’t remember that game but I do remember the first time we played them hey beat us 3-0 at Highbury and a Graham Paddon scored them all. We also had.a Tasty punch- up in a 4-3 come from behind win when the prolific Leee Dixon and David O’Leary were on the scoresheet and the famous time at the start of the season when we were 2-0 up at half- time at Highbury and contrived to lose 4-2! So we don’t always stroll to victory against them. I hope we will tomorrow. If we can be 9 out of 9 it makes the task for th Spuds especially hugely difficult and we can prepare for St. T’s day for the 19th ? Successive season. But that’s way in the future- tomorrow first. Such a pity TR7 is so fragile. I fear we will need to adjust to life without him tomorrow . He isn’t a great passer of late fitness tests. Still bringing in the great hope of English football isn’t too shabby a prospect.
COYG!
Countryman100,
There were, indeed, very few of us on the North Bank that night. Hardly any other bodies to shelter behind, I was quite surprised to see that attendance figure of 18,869 – believing it to have been 14,000+,but I’m certainly not going to dispute it.
Ttg,
I have treated several Spuds fans this week, and not one of them thinks they have any chance of finishing above us.
Oh, and least favourite player amongst them, you will not be surprised to hear, is Adebarndoor. Not one good word to say about him.
Ohhh when those wheels …………..
18, 869? Crisis! Obviously the ticket prices were too high and nobody could afford to take their lad along. (Maybe there was no father and son seating then?) Reduce the prices. Now! Free seats for all Gooners, I say, and competitiveness consequences be damned.
Enjoy the day if you’re going. Dr Z, go easy on the rocket fuel.
Norcal – one of my best friends lives in LA.
He reminds me daily – literally – how awsome the weaher is there. Especially when it nor’easter time of the year!
Then again I regularly tell him to eff off!
You think Norwich will score two, ‘holic? That’s a worry. I want to see the GD continue to rise so we can get past Chelski as well and expect us to score four, so no worries after all.
NorCal … please take some of our weather. We’re well into Autumn and still the long hot summer continues. Sunny and 20 Celsius again today. We had a drip of rain this week, but not enough to wet the weeds in my garden.
Oskar
Lol Homer, I didn’t see your #30 before my last.
Oskar
So i just returned from sunny Mexico.
A short little story for anyone still in the bar at this hour.
Beautiful weather, beautiul country, and the people are awesome.
Finding a TV when i’m (deliberatley) in a stretch of country where no building is over 2 storiess and most have grass roofs (palapas), there is precious little wifi and the electricity goes off from midnight to 800 am – which i love BTW – is tough and its a bit hard to catch the arsenal.
But managed to catch the west brom match. A little bar with no roof, mariachi radio, a 40 inch plasma and oceans of good tequila, well now that is right up my alley. What a match. Nervy ending. My man TR7 showed us what weve been missing all season.
And interestingly, a few of the guys in the bar were qctually knowledgeable of the arsenal, and AW. Genious they said. Big club they said. Van persie is a shit they said. Well a round on me for that comment!
I had to admit my admiration for carlos vela. Lovely touch. Great field vision. And fiery. And, admittedly, were chicharito available this next window id take him in a heartbeat. Smiles and hi fivs all around.
Surprisingly i leave that nice little cantina dunk as a skunk, with a few new friends, and enough free trequila to float a battleship.
Up the Arsenal and Viva mexico!
All good Oskar!
Homer you are spot on about the friendliness of the Mexican people as well as the quality of their tequila and their palapas too. I slept in one of those once, on a beach on the Caribbean coast of Mexico near where Carlos Vela was growing up at the time, or maybe he was just a twinkle in his papa’s eye. The next morning I went for a swim in the Caribbean then directly to the next palapa where the huevos motuleños were just about as good as it gets. I’ll raise a cerveza to you!
But Chicharito?? Please! He has the stain of a Manc about him. π
Nice stuff ‘H.
Was at all three of those games. That friday really was brass monkeys. Good win tomorrow I think. Two maybe three.
BtM, still banging the same old drum I see. Oh well. Cheer yourself up and have a Chinese mate.
Good for the eyes I hear.
Peter Alliss follows Arsenal and Man City? Clearly a man who cannot make up his mind. At least he is against Man United on two fronts, to give him his due.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22087052
Fantastic story about the ’79 game, ‘holic. Sounds like something that would have happened to me.
Arsenal’s woes, Humphrey? Despite the financial handicap we face competing against the mega rich clubs we have qualified for the CL every year since 1998, which is long before you were born (I’m guessing you’re about 12?).
That unbroken 15-year winning streak is only bettered by Man U with 17 and Real M with 16. In a list of the top twenty-five clubs with the most points gained in the CL since the introduction of the new format in 1992β93, Arsenal are 6th. That makes us second only to Man U in the UK leagues.
No, I’m not happy about being second to anyone, but changing the manager responsible for holding our own most of the time for so long against far richer clubs will guarantee us nothing.
Oskar
Rocket fuel, BtM?
Well I’m at the airport now that you mention it. But I promised Rox that I’d be sensible.
Mind you, I didn’t clarify for how long… π
Laters, Brolleurs.
I’m dying to know how people define tactical nous.
Homer 33, Excellent!
Snir: I’d say ‘ stick to beat ArsΓ¨ne Wenger with, for people who have no clue’ ?
At this rate, Robert, Julian, Bobby, Hector, James, Timothy, Peter, Stanley, Humphrey is……..
going to run out of forenames……
Morning Dr z,
Your spam issue resolved. We are going to have a chuckle in a while π
Homer@33, great stuff!
Snir, Ollie knows @43.
Looks like a post has just been removed, Lars π
It sure does, Ollie π
Gearing up boys? Anyone’s had a sneaky starter yet? Maybe a little something extra in the coffee? Holic on the h pad in the h train?
So many questions…. π
On the ‘hAndroid on the train. On course for an early start π
No sneaky starters here, Catalan. Just had some breakfast and a shower, now just waiting for time to tick away so we can leave for the pub π
See you there for that early start, H π
No Rotation! No Compromise! No Flim Flam!
It has been far too long.
For weeks, I’ve endured the boredom of the interlull and suffered the excruciating, unreliability of internet streams. Β So now that I’m finally going back to the Home of Football I am beside myself with agitated anticipation. Β In a state of frenzied rhythm, as tabs would say. Β
The plan had been to take in the Reading game but Easter’s early arrival meant flight availability that weekend was as likely as a Kroenke oratory, and travel became impossible. Β Rumours soon reached me, though, Β about the next intended travel plans of the famous Swedish wallet and I immediately went in search of a trajectory that would land me on Tollington Road at roughly the same time.
The Southbound trek is quick and uneventful. Β At Victoria, I side-step the phalanx of criminals and Big Issue vendors lurking at every corner, and seek sanctuary in a greasy spoon nearby, Inside, I cast a glance at the apron of the girl at the counter, which looks as toxic as the Devil’s jumpsuit, and opt for coffee only and a skim through the morning rags. Β
The team news appears to be that Theo and Jack are back, but Tomas is going to be out. Β I guess Rosicky’s absence releases the Boss from a dilemma, Β assuming Jack is going to start. Β At the back, Vermaelen will get the chance to demonstrate that his unexpected rest has focused his mind on defending, in the right areas of the pitch . Β Elsewhere, whilst I am not his biggest fan, I agree with Blogs that based on recent contributions, Gervinho deserves to start. Β Hopefully he can bamboozle the Norwich rearguard rather than himself and the rest of us.
The press is also full of news of the expected departure in the summer of Arshavin. Β Sad, but its all been said before. Β His Arsenal career was a missed opportunity all round, and whilst nothing is done, or said, for nothing, Β Arsene found some nice words to say about his professionalism and commitment, which, Β whilst it didn’t inflate my blood-pressure, it certainly did raise an eyebrow.
I turn my thoughts to Delia’s mob this afternoon. Β Last season’s corresponding match, which I also attended, was an exercise in anger management – anger at going ahead early and then losing our way, almost conceding with the last kick of the ball and having to settle for a point, pent up frustration at again contesting small consolation prizes at the business end of the season. Β It would be nice to have a run-in for the title again, as opposed to this pursuit of a non-trophy. Β Still, the hunting down of St Totteringham will at least keep things interesting.
I look at the stats. Β They don’t score many away. And they have a keeper called Camp – (at least one of our number will be happy) Β π Β I will be able to goad both fat-boy Holt (dirty bastard, did you see his snide challenge last weekend?) and the duelling-banjos brigade in the away end. Β This should be a chance to improve the goal-difference. Β Third place beckons.
What can possibly go wrong?Β
Right, morning ceremonies over, there’s a pint at the Tollie with my name on it.
See you tomorrow Arsenalists.
Be really odd/silly to “rotate” for a game when we haven’t played for a week previously, especially with Tuesday at home.
Strongest team out both games please.
Cazorla central today for me, with AOC/Poldi giving us some extra spice out wide. Start fast, score a couple and we can look to rest when the magic 70th minute mark arrives. (Get Theo and Jack a few minutes? π
Over.
Tomorrow, zico? The game is today π
Poonaloon, agreed. No need to rotate today. Play the strongest possible team, give yourself the best chance to get the three points and worry about the next game after about 5 o’clock today.
Lovely stuff Dr Z. π
3-0 to the Arsenal, no sweat.
Interesting article in the Guardian today re crowd attendances at the Old Toilet. If it’s happening there, you can bet your bottom dollar it’s happening everywhere.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2013/apr/12/manchester-united-attendances-police-figures
The marketing gurus wet dream of entirely pre-paid but empty stadia continues apace it would seem.
Perhaps we can all bring along our imaginary chinese friends to make up the numbers? π
Right, the siren call of the Swedish wallet is heard. Off to The Tollie Good luck everybody.
COME ON THE ARSENAL!
@ 55
Ok smart arse, till tomorrow ia what I shoulda wrote.
You going to the bar, or what? π
Love it, they’re all chomping at the bit (or slurping at the trough!).
Out of interest who was the guilty party who did NOT join in the brawl? Seaman?
Have a great day out all (or in, wherever you ate), I will be restricted to following on my phone since I have expectant father duties to carry out.
Ah, the maternity department of Gap in central London on a Saturday afternoon. It’s going to be a long one…
Missed the You Ropey League transfer deadline. I”m gonna get slaughtered. π
In repy to post #28 by Trev
I was their on that freezing Friday. My memory too is that the crowd was 14,000 and something, as announced on the night.
We are going to have to add it up. I was there with SuperCesc then add Trev, Countryman100 and his mate, Holloway2Holland and ‘holic. That’s seven. See, far closer to 14,000.
Toasey. It could be that ‘holic added the faces of 4,000-odd extra pretty girls dancing around in his head to that count?
AOC interview on arse.tv rousing viewing pre-match. Such a grounded young man and very bright in his discussion of the game.
Big season for him next year, be interesting to see if he can establish himself and in what position. Got the sense as he was discussing Rosicky’s strengths that he sees himself in that role soon. (Gnabry started playing behind the striker for the youths recently, so even more competition.)
So many talented midfielders, would be lovely if we could add a massive set of balls to go in there with all the skill when the summer arrives. That and a pwopa striker π
Camberwell @59. I missed the announcement, many congratulations. And commiserations for this afternoon π
8ball @60. Transfers??? π
Is this a case for Andy Goram?
From the BBC:
“Bizarrely, the appointment of the ex-Reading boss means Leeds’s two biggest clubs are now coached by Brian McDermott. Super League champions Leeds Rhinos are bossed by the former Great Britain star, who shares the same name as the new Leeds United gaffer. Also, the two teams both have wingers called Ryan Hall.”
8ball@80, limited sympathy for you as the Outlyerz were getting a bit too close for comfort. Going into the match with only 10 outfield players is an interesting strategy though.
COYR
‘The other’ CG @ Thanks pal! And thank god for smart phones eh? Imagine if it was back in the days of the Nokia 3310….I’ll just have to console myself with a nice tie, a cheeky t-shirt and perhaps an accessory.
Can’t watch the game? Retail therapy it is then.
Silly oskar
Catalan, Oxon: Just for the record, Santi would have been my captain if I got up a couple of hours earlier. Which will make it all the more semi-sweet to see him score a bucketload of goals over the next two games. π π
I agree
No
Afternoon All.
Heh @ Toasey.
Mexico is indeed a great place to be, Homer, had a thouroughly good time there on more then one occasion.
Is it just me or is tequila easier to drink there? I was knocking it back like a pro, I tried the same feat at home…….. It didn’t end well.
WHAT THE FUCK;
http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/66986000/jpg/_66986634_66986633.jpg
They can’t do that, that’s just wrong.
Hey, waddyaknow?
Robert, Julian, Bobby, Hector, James, Timothy, Peter, Stanley and Humphrey have/has changed sex and acquired a new forename and website! What next? A second brain cell?
COYR
Fabianski, Sagna, Vermaelen, Koscielny, Gibbs, Arteta, Wilshere, Ramsey, Cazorla, Gervinho, Giroud
Subs: Mannone, Jenkinson, Monreal, Coquelin, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Walcott, Podolski
That’s some bench.
Oxon 74….he may now call himself Richard but he is better known as a Dick π
At least Norwich have got one Bunn but they seem to have lost an element of Campiness …
Never mind the bench, what about the starting 11!
That’s not too shabby either, Cam’, it never is, but we’re always hearing how we lack strehgth in depth, but that bench would tell you a different story.
Too right H’, this should be a good game and I want VENGEANCE
COME ON YOU RIP ROARING REDSSSSSSSSSSSS
Just 3 pts for me Cam…..a good game is a bonus.
good morning lads and ladesses, already bossing the game, I see!
Coyrredds
santi en fuego so far!
Hi holics π C’mon Arsenal !
hey everyone…Jack so far not in it …good pressure early on from us though.
Okay…now that was some pass to Gibbo from LJW:P keep it up!:D
Come on Arsenal!
Looks like it’s going to be a long afternoon. Come on Jack!
bac looking strong today, too.
It came off a defender… He can’t be offside!!
Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
I see a long afternoon for the Canaries, they’re in for a peppery session with Cazorla & Wilshere.
Don’t ask me what Gerv would make out of them, ’cause you already know.
Can’t wait for it to begin. Hardly have I been so confident against the yellow birds. Their voices are lost and their wings are drenched with glycerine from the North bank saloon.
COYG
aD
cloooose, beautiful move.
Unlucky.
aaaah almost!
can’t stand grant holt.
Come on Gerviniho!!!
Oooooooooooooo Giroud
oooh, HFB! closer!
gaaah..good pass from Bacary..OG unlucky
Ramsey having good game so far!
OG, can you please stop with the flicks to nowhere.
Good stuff from Gervais…
FFS Gerv..
Back to his frustrating “best”.
selfish gervais there, pass it lad!
Gervy never looks up
typical Gervais …for fucks sake ..great pressing and nothing from it
wtf, fox soccer just changed the game to some other game?
That was a nice try.
First touch too hard.
COYRRR’s
Gosh, why didn’t someone anticipate Gervinho’s cross!
Agonising ..agonisiiing
Grrrr..ervinho…..come on you reds!!!
scruz, that surprised me too!
loving Aaron so far..he is everywhere
Typical Gervinho hhhhrrrrrrrrrrr…….
AAAaaaaaaaaaaaaa.
Come on Arsenal, we got them on the ropes
thought that one was going in heh
even Russian commentator was like “Sagna …..to Giroooud.and goal…no?..HOW HOW?”
We just need that first goal and it’s ours!
certainly one way traffic atm. great pressing at times.
yellow?…for what??
OG needs to play hold ball rather than touch ball
What is with this ref?!
we need at least a goal now.
we are trying too slick it up, keep it simple!
finally, a shot in anger.
Ref’s a cunt.
SHOOOOOOOOOOOOOT
No yellow card for that! C’mon ref, do your job!
fuck snodgrass.
Am I the only one seeing it or is it true that OG is a bit out of his usual self?
Poor Jack! Snodgrass you’re a meanie!
give him that yellow finally ffs
still no yellows – why?
love corner after corner.
I see it too, arsenicdaemon but he’s not the only one.
Some good work undone by heavy touches and general nervousness, Gerv I am looking at you. Jacks link up play still not where it was before his current injury ..but thats understandable. OG is having poor game so far. Like our pressing and urgency..the goal will come if we keep up the workrate.
first half a bit of a damp squib for me. inconsistent ref, gervs breaking plays, too much fancy stuff, not enough direct play. norrige offered little but a kicking.
if I were in Arsene’s shoes would go for a double sub with the resumption of the 2nd session. Poldi & Walcot in for OG & Gerv.
Frustrating, would be the word I’d use to describe that half.
We’re not bad, sometimes we even look pretty slick, but there’s something that’s just not right. I think we look a bit lopsided and it’s not the first time this seasson. I don’t think we’ve quite worked out how to play Santi and Jack together yet.
Gerv has been… well…. frustrating. If it continues we’ve got plenty of options on the bench. OG seems out of sorts, too many silly flicks and isn’t in the place where he should be far too often when the crosses come in.
Still, all to play for in the second half and Norwich are there for the taking.
COME ON YOU REDSSSS
Ref should’ve given Snodgrass a yellow card for time wasting (via arguing about the foul) during extra time. Instead he awards him by not adding on the time he wasted. Pitiful.
Remove the ‘handbrake’ ffs
COME ON YOU GUNNERS!!!
Giroud could have scored a couple, easily. He’s not the quickest with the ball at his feet, but we need to get it to him in the right positions. But did Gervinho take his quick thinking pills at halftime?
damn it, too close.
Come on Arsenal
#$##%*(^%#!!
I knew that was coming. fuuuuck.
Funking knew it
oh so typical …COME ON LADS!
theopoldi on for jackgervs, please.
Time to make some changes.
Bummer, Major bummer! π
Wake up cmon boys
Good call scruz
Bollox……get going you reds!!!
Yeap, that should make us look better. Santi in the middle.
COYR’s
decently played, shoulda done better you two.
Never offside!!
OOOOH
cheers, h2h, obvious I think…
Time wasting, ohhh crikey.
The ref is a fucking bjoke.
agreed H2H…12th player for Norwich..btw completely missed that Ramsey was punched in the face in the build up for that foul from which they scored.
holt’s a fucking donkey.
Bollocks!
Someone mentioned earlier we had strength in depth.
Does anyone really believe a team with Fabianski, Gibbs, Ramsey, Arteta, OG and Gervinho in the starting line up is capable of winning the top honours?
Sell your best players, replace them with mediocrity and you find yourself 0-1 to Norwich.
COOOME ON!!
theo not pushed down?
LOL even commentator outraged its not a pen…fuck you ref..fuck you
lol@braziliangooner…whatever.
Don’t get that call…looked like a pen to me.
Support the team!!
oooh, second bad touch, poldi…
Grant Holt is a wanker of the highest order!
COME ON ARSENAL, COME ON!!!
Come on lads! Need to dig deep!
spunk monkey of a ref, I tell ya.
THis ref is a disgrace, beyond ridiculous.
unbelievable refreeing ….unbelievable
Refs a WANKER!
AAAAAAA FUCK
ox for og, theo middle please.
Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh! Heartbroken!
NOOOOOOOOOOOO
Ox For Sagna. All or nothing. COYR’s
interesting sub ox for bac
Aaron to rb, then, should be ok.
PENALTY??
penno?
oh yeah, pulled og down.
COME ON ARTETA
pleasepleaseplease
YEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
I’ve always rated Arteta. Class act!
YES!
art eta
Yes Arteta! Now c’mon Arsenal!
COME ON ARRSSSEEEEENAAAAAL
YESS!!!
It was the linesman who gave the penalty #refisstillacunt
Aaaaahhhhhhteta……phew.
YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh OG!!Goal We Win!!!!!
girooooooo
yesugugfhfhdjfhh!!!
Yyyyyyeeeesssssssss
Brilliant from the OX!
Ox you fucking beauty!!!
YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
Another one of my favourites. Ramsey to get the third.
Come on!!
Goaaaaaaaaaaaaaal.. Olivier Giroud.
fuck YES.
Fabby saves us, phew.
Beautiful save from Fabs! Whew π
Fab save from fab
That’s the way to do it Fabs!
6 minutes!?
I’m shitting fucking bricks here.
5 min to defend and fight for our lives!!!!
ooooh. og.
6 mins???
POOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLLLLDDDIIIIIIIIIII
h2hxgjuifyiidigdugdjgd. poldi!
Pod 4 3::yeah
We are ALIVE, Freakin ALIVE! Thank you Poldi!
POLDIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
What a fu**ing relief!
Yellow for Snodgrass, there is justice at last!
h2h, as I was starting to say, if we were still down 6 mins seemed right.
fuck snodgrass.
Ha ha Feo kicks the ball away.
Poldi should have shot there…shame
3 points in the BAG!!!
YES, RESULT!!
Never in doubt. π
What a rollercoaster of a game….we deserved to win, had to dig deep, subs had major impact on the match, lifes good :))
R the Arse hotter than mustard
what the fook give those idiots post match yellows
First, Tony Gale is a cunt.
Went on and on about Mike Jones not whistling for the pen. It just shows his ineptitude!
Second, I’d say that was a showcase of tactical nous, no ;)?
3d place, baby. poor game by us, poor by the ref, and norwich were crap. but 3rd place, BABY!
lol snir.
Still can’t believe it took the linno to actually called the penalty, the ref with clear view and stood 10 yards away from the incident did not see it. Unbelieveable.
And after two attempts hit the bar, i believe we were jinxed somehow but then I think Trev’s daughter just repells it. Make sure you bring her along for the remaining games, Trev.
Really really happy, win like this will inject tons of confidence, at least I hope so. Good fight boys!!
COYG
Need some help on MOTM…any thoughts?
Wagnar out. Replace him with a manager. Bloody nearly managed to lose to Norwich FFS. All those posters with forenames earlier on are bang on.
Never in doubt – as H2H says above.
All those posters with forenames earlier are talking complete bollocks.
COYR
I never thought I’m gonna say this.
Ramsey MOTM!
What a win.
*collapses with relief*
That is all
Agreed with you lurky, he had a great game, was everywhere, did not put foot wrong. Really starting to like his partnership with Mikel in that deeper role.
Hey, Crooks and Warnock disagree with the penalty decision. Who would have guessed it?
Yes lurky, Aaron could be a contender for that honor π OG too, (2nd half). Drink up fellas π
Getting wins while not playing that well, surely the sign of champions with ‘mental fortitude’ etc. π
It was as clear a penalty by the rules as they come, and the movement leading to Norwich goal started with a blatant foul on Ramsey in Norwich half. For Poldi’s goal Theo was most likely offside.
Some poor performances from Jack, Gervinho and Gibbo particularly. And how we miss someone like Rosicky to up the tempo when in possession and press high up when not. Jack may need a while to find the rhythm back.
Against Everton if TR7 is back we should play with Santi-Giroud-Theo and if he is not Poldi-Giroud-Theo with Santi as the designated playmaker.
How surprising.
Agree Dr. Faustus, Jack, Gervais and Gibbs were not to their standard, and we miss Rosicky badly.
Once again, this game is prove that Fabianski is deservedly Arsenal’s number one.
I see the Ox as a supper-talented-super-sub for the rest of the season.
@251
Gervinho was no worse than Jack, but I don’t see anyone slagging Jack yet.
lurky @ 251: I would not associate Gervinho — as an Arsenal player — with any standard. He is infuriatingly inconsistent within the context of one match and rarely on the same wave length with the rest of the team. A player with fantastic dribbling abilities and actually good positional sense and instinct, but just awful in terms of composure and intelligence with the final ball. A dazzling run is not only of no use but actually counterproductive if you cannot make a half decent pass in the final third. It confuses the hell out of other players.
Until Gerv improves the consistency of his game significantly I would rather have Poldi or Ox play in place of him.
Here’s a typical example of fickle fans:
When we were 1-0 down….
—————————–
168braziliangooner
Bollocks!
Someone mentioned earlier we had strength in depth.
Does anyone really believe a team with Fabianski, Gibbs, Ramsey, Arteta, OG and Gervinho in the starting line up is capable of winning the top honours?
Sell your best players, replace them with mediocrity and you find yourself 0-1 to Norwich.
————————–
When Arteta levels…
196braziliangooner
Iβve always rated Arteta. Class act!
Facepalm.
Fuck yeah!!! Get in there you mighty reds.
Well Gap just became a damn sight more bearable. Plus the management promised me a pint for being patient while enduring the kind of afternoon that makes me want to peel off my eyelids and grind salt and chilli flakes onto my corneas.
Cannot fucking WAIT for MOTD.
I’m afraid he was, Lurky.
Jack too was indeed off the pace, it may have been better to start him from the bech, but hidsight is ofcourse always 20/20. But Gerv just seems to have brain farts every now and again, but today he was in diarrhea mode. Some of the things he did must of had many of us, I know I was, tearing our hair out. Every player can make a mistake, but he was so out of sync it just wasn’t funny.
Wenger must have saw it in the first half, and fair dues he brought his usual sub time (70mins) a good ten minutes forward and swapped the two with Poldi and Theo. The impact was immeadiate and we were improved instantly.
There’s going to be a lot of hard work to find out how to deploy Santi and Jack together, that will have to be done in the summer, as for now, if push comes to shove I’d keep Jack on the bench and let Santi pull the strings. I know that that may not go down wwell with many here, but I believe it’s our best option at this time. Arteta Ramsey Sagna in the middle (with TR7 and Jack to rotate) Feo OG and Poldi up top (with Ox and Gerv to rotate)
Surely that’s a bit of strength in depth Brazillian?
Doctor Faustus- you’ve just described his standard. He has good dribble and instinct, bad composure and final ball. That is nothing that can’t be repaired. I mean, if Walcot can correct his final ball (composure not quite) I am sure that Gerv can either.
What I like about him, is the way he constantly drags 2-3 panic defenders around him. If we manage to exploit that, he can be a force. Of course he must improve himself, but his teammates must improve their understanding with him and became aware of his unpredictability.
*Arteta Ramsey Santi.
Looks like that brain fart thing is contagous. π
Gary Lineker is a wanker too dubious decision regarding penalty!
Phew….all I’m saying π
The only thing dubious about that penalty is why it took the linesman to give it.
CG. This “retail Saturday” is only the start old man. In the name of “keeping the family together” I am at my 8 year old’s gymnastics class having missed the 2nd half, which sounds like it was a mite more dramatic than the first one. Can’t wait to see the replay! π
nah, ya didn’t miss nothin’, bt8b. π
HEH
Never in doubt.
Somehow I had a weird feeling all afternoon that we would win this one. The presence of Theo and Poldi on the bench always suggested a late surge, although it eventually came very late indeed.
Think of the effect that final five mins will have had on the Chavs and LWCs. Fucking magic.
Thought Ramsey was superb today. As far as I’m concerned he’s been a huge part of the way the side has grown since the New Year and deserves some real praise. It’s been great to watch him turning people’s opinions round week on week and I hope he has a long career with us. He has that mental toughness people always go on about.
Off to celebrate ahead of MOTD.
COYG
Well said H2H @262.
Just on the train on the way home.
First 75 minutes we were shocking. Pedestrian, no movement off the ball and no urgency.
Jack was 2 yards off the pace. Gervinho was just Gervinho. I was surprised he lasted that long. I just hope he does not start on Tuesday.
I did not think we looked like scoring and the pen was our way back. The changes made all the difference and injected pace and movement. Moving santi back central helped.
In the end it is an excellent 3 points although we made bloody hard work of it.
Ramsey was my MOTM and by some distance. For most of the game he was the only one that seemed intetested.
Garth Crooks is a tubby and biased pundit of dubious quality and marked anti- Arsenal bias. Interesting to see how MOTD treat it tonight. The defender had a massive chunk of Giroud’s jersey but only the linesman saw it!
Re: Lurky @253. Jack has yet to justify the hype that surrounds him in my humble opinion but between the graft and ball control skills in his game he may have a chance to measure up in future. Between him and Aaron Ramsey I want to see our “British spine” notch up several degrees over the end of this season and next.
Ramsey is a splendid lad. Delighted to see him playing so well after a run of games. Hopefully Rosicky is fit for Tuesday and maybe Ox might replace Gervinho
Jack looked like someone who hadn’t played for six weeks and had still come back too early. Shame that Rosicky wasn’t available, both for the forward momentum he gives the team and so that Jack could have come on for the last 10 or 15 mins to ease himself back in to match fitness. We looked flatter than Norfolk up until the penalty, but we still should have had the game wrapped up by half time. Gervais had one of his Gervin-oh-no days, and should have been swapped for Theo or the Ox at half time. The Kos-Ver combo in central defence only reinforced my view that Per-Kos are our best pairing there. The conceded goal was just horrible defending. Agree with those rightly praising Ramsey. That all said, three points, six League wins out of the last seven, third place and ahead of the neighbours — not too shabby for an off day.
This controversy over the penalty is just bollox. Giroud was pulled back going for a ball in front of goal. What is not a penalty about that? The scandal isn’t that the linesman gave it, it is that the ref missed it.
H2H @ 262 – exactly!
@255 Nathan, scoring a penalty doesn’t really change my opinion of a player.
Fickle or sarcastic?
And by the way Og is not one of my favourites either @212.
Ramsey leg break or no leg break has never been a player. Jury still out for me on Wilshere. Walcott is just a speed merchant with no technical ability and if finding out the opposition was the purpose of the game then Gibbs would be a world beater.
273. That’s the same thing Ned. π
Okay ..how the fuck can you not be cheerful about hard fought victory like this one is beyond me. Do you get some special joy from criticizing our players? I have no problem when it is well placed criticism, but saying that Ramsey was never been a player is really harsh to say the least.
He was our best player today, by miles compared to anyone else. He is never going to be player like Xavi, Cesc or whatever, but if his development will continue like it apparently does, he is going to be really valuable asset for us (and that comes from someone who was far from impressed by many of Ramseys performances).
@276
Ramsey vs NCFC – 79 passes, 90% pass accuracy, 4 long balls, 6 tackles, 1 Interception, 2 Clearances
Ramsey’s clearly not a player.
Aaron Ramsey: captained his country and had Arsenal and Man Utd both after him before the age of 21.
Never a player.
Pffffffft. Low quality trolling.
On advice of resident lawyer the Rt Hon Tabs…
ignore the cunt
Spot on Eandy. I don’t see Ramsey ever having the talent and skill of some players. But sometimes that is not what is required. Norwich at home us a game we should dominate. We didn’t and were poor for large parts of the game. Ramsey was the one player that continued to run, fight, battle and to drive us forward.
Is he ever going to be a world beater??? I very much doubt it. Is he a massive part of our squad and essential to us on a day like today???? Too bloody right he is.
You need a balanced squad to achieve things. Aaron Ramsey is very much part of that. I don’t think we win today without his performance.
Spot on above as well.
A word about the crowd. Subdued first half. Massive in the second. Despite a poor display the locals did not lose faith.
Hey. Multi name boy is back.
Still waiting for all of these names that your learned, sage like mind has stored and are just waiting to trip off the tounge.
Spot on both posts Steve T.
Ramsey will probably never be world class, but he has bundles of what we have lacked these last five years or so: guts.
Arsenal the sage, capable of heart pounding games. Taking on wild animals clothed in Yellows, Reds, Blues, Whites, Blacks, name it, with the most usual guts. We climb and step right into the den of the wild beast, pulling out the chest knot out of fire. It may be long but we surely would get there.
Hats of for General Ramsey, Wing Commanders Poldi & Walcot. Not forgetting the Rear Admiral Fabianski and all members of the 2012/2013 battalion.
Long may the kill hard spirit be.
3 points! 3 bloody points… If ya cant be happy with that then go skulk someplace else.
And Ramsey never a player?… Baloney.
Ive slagged him iff when hes crap. But when hes good, hes good.
Fools.
OG no goal today but he also was in it every minute and a few lovlely lay offs. Hes a keeper.
Missed the second half due to coaching the U6 robots ( I didn’t pick the name). My young Poldi scored 4. Very proud.
I was very concerned after watching the first half performance that Arsenal would cock it up and when I saw it was 1-0 into the second my fears were confirmed. I just watched the second half and thought the injection of pace is what turned the game.
Jack was off the pace all game and really should have given way at half time. Hope it is just rust and lack if game time because we need healthy midfielders. Rosicky and jack can’t seem to get a run of games injury free.
Tuesday we need to have Theo start. If Gerv starts he needs a short leash. AOC and Poldi ready to come on. Everton are a good side and if we are lackadaisical and wasteful like today we will drop points.
Lets Go Arsenal!
I agree with H2H. π
Name change
N7 @ 285: I think it is too early to call whether Ramsey would be a great or not. He actually has all the ingredients, a good (but not spectacular) all-rounded technical abilities and excellent work rate and commitment. He doesn’t obviously sparkle early in his career like Cesc or Jack, but he can be a different type of great. Think of someone like Pirlo, until he moved to Milan in his mid-twenties he couldn’t even break into the Inter side and then slowly his game really developed. Ramsey might yet turn out to be a player like him, a deep-lying playmaker who can also do the defensive sides.
The thing that has recently impressed me most about Ramsey is his decision making, he is still a bit off the pace and sometimes dwells on the ball for a fraction of second longer, but the choice of pass or hold and the target of pass has been excellent.
SteveT@284, give multi-name boy credit where it’s due, he/she has learned about capital letters. Congratulations.
H2H@281, I must respectfully disagree with the Rt Hon Tabs as you quote him. I don’t agree that trolls should be ignored. I think they should be pointed out and held up to ridicule. I do, however, agree that you should never engage them in conversation or debate.
That said, SteveT’s efforts over the past half-week or so have very successfully highlighted our friend’s (?) very limited powers of self-expression and limited grasp of reality.
Great result today. I anticipate that MoTD will either not comment on the penalty incident, or float a new, spurious, theory that if the ref sees an incident and doesn’t blow for it he shouldn’t allow himself to be browbeaten into reacting by one of his assistants. Something along the lines of “they are there to assist him, not to overrule him”. Me, paranoid? Naaaah
COYG
For every Dennis Bergkamp you need a Ray Parlour.
Never lose sight of that.
Oxon.
Never enter a battle of wits with an unarmed man, the victory, although at the time may seem sweet, will be truly hollow.
He/she/it has been given many chances to engage in civilised/inteligent discussion but not once tried to recipitate, it has been called out for what it is, yet continues to troll.
To ignore, is the best option.
Good point Steve.
So the Norwich keeper indulged in some ridiculous time-wasting? Telling you, Norwich just made my shitlist. Small team playing park-the-bus and their keeper taking the piss with time-wasting?
Worst kind of team in my view. Norwich you cunts.
Almost 300 drinks and no one mentions the BIG Fabianski save at 2-1, that get us the 3 points.
Lurky at 296. That is because I haven’t watched it yet but i’m sure Almunia could have made it look more theatrical. π
Fab again had very little to do. What he did have to do he did well. Especially considering how soft their goal was.
I am still a very long way from being convinced though.
GOLASO!!!! Sorry I’m late to the party- what a finish! (Arsenal’s that is, not mine.) π
Hatrick
Damn… I Gervinho’d. Sort of a footballing premature e…. eh, nevermind!
Lurky;
215Holloway2Holland
Fabby saves us, phew.
@ 292
What I was trying to say, in fewer and better words.
MOTD, H2H. Hey all! Great discussions above. Want to add that Ox and Theo looked very lively off the bench. Hungry, I might call it, which would be a good sign indeed for the end of the season.
Come on Arsenal! I just can’t stop looking at the league chart right now- relief. Of course, the downer in me can’t stop a little voice from whispering ‘what could have been?’ had played more proper cards last summer/winter.
The seasons finish, and this summer, are the moment for Arsenal to return to full glory. We are only 6 points off second place, for darwin’s sake!
pires @ 304: It is the rebuilding of the team every season that kills us. By the time all the new players have learnt to combine and interchange and build an intuitive understanding it is always too late for a serious challenge. Recently the spectrum of quality of football and teams in PL have been too narrow — lower ranked teams playing better than expected and top ranked team playing rather average — and with a sure and steady start to a season with a group of players that have been playing for a while and and without the typical summer uncertainties Arsenal has a good chance of winning the PL. NOT the CL because we are a couple of levels below the best– despite the win at Bayern — but in PL I don’t see any team that is that better than us that with a couple of more signings in key positions Arsene cannot challenge.
Hopefully other than the ones already in the periphery (so-called deadweights) no one leaves in summer and we get at least two key signings in DM and forward positions.
H2H@293, I fear we have (yet) another civilised difference of opinion.
If you ignore trolls, there’s a distinct risk that they’ll simply shout louder in case you haven’t noticed them.
Attempting to argue with them, as you point out, can lead to nothing worthwhile.
It’s my considered opinion that the best response is to say “Oh look, a troll!”
I suspect that they’re are as happy to see us arguing about them as with them. I hope it doesn’t completely scupper the “ignore them” strategy; I intend to continue with my “You, sir, are a troll!” technique.
Cheers, Faustus. it’s hard to completely know from the outside but I suspect your analysis is very true. Keeping the playing core of this team this summer and adding multiple quality additions could see a real revitalized Arsenal jump out of the gates in August. I think that the competition in some places has reaped real rewards rather than caused dissent. At least one world class striker, keeper, and defensive midfielder, plus maybe some younger, enthusiastic to please players filling in and we would be a real force to reckon with.
Evening all. A few are conspicuous by their absinthe…. No doubt struggling with rail timetables, or shemale bouncers.. π
Steve T — you beat me to it with the Ray Parlour analogy. Exactly that.
PIK – great to see you here. Or maybe I have been too absent lately and you are still a regular visitor?
2nd is possible…. BIG game coming up now. Let’s be 7 points clear before “they” kick off next.
As tabs says; ITC
You go ahead sir.
I may even join you by calling him/her/it;
A complete cockknocking, knobtickling, window licking, oxygen stealing waste of skin.
But only every now and then. π
Or, as Oxon says – “what a prick” π
I’m happy either way
Toasey @61 – heh, on that night I reckon you could have counted us !
Ambydex,
Following my daughter’s correct 4-1 prediction, 20 seconds after the start of the Reading game, this afternoon she would not be drawn, 2 minutes into the game, any further than to say it would be Arsenal 3 Norwich 1, or maybe 4-1.
At half time that seemed a most unlikely outcome, but I’m now seriously thinking about gambling as a new career.
Will add a few thoughts on today’s game later. I still want to get a few nasty nasty views on Norwich into perspective.
Suffice to say that, for a whole lot of reasons, the crowd, and the two of us, went raving mental when our goals went in today.
I didn’t know I could still jump up and down for so long without a break.
In the meantime,
Zico,
Lovely post earlier today, and I very much appreciated the one finger salute at the Tollie railings. I look forward to at least doubling the acclamation next time you’re down. π
Tabs,
Very much with you @56 on the whole marketing issue.
BtM,
Sorry, but I don’t get your @29 at all.
Is it supposed to be taking the piss out of “real Gooners” who genuinely cannot afford the prices any more.
Or are you FunGunner in disguise ?
The chap who has sat next to me since The Emirates opened is having to give up his ticket next season as Β£1,955 has become too much for him on a reduced amount of work.
We are not all as fortunate as you Sir, but don’t necessarily need to be poked fun at in order to make the point.
Oxon. In Louisiana, when you are confronted by more than one troll at the same time, the proper expression is “Ya’ll are trolls.” In this case, despite the everchanging names, I believe the singular is correct. Lonely soul.
Nasty nasty = nasty. Quite sufficient, and much less camp. π
8ball,
Our multi-monikered mate is far from a “lonely soul”.
Every Spud troll who comes in here is exactly the same.
What’s sad about him, is that he must believe that any of his bilious nonsense affects either our team or his.
Trev,
That young lady of your is a gold mine. I knew I was wise to go with whatever she suggested. Hope you had a great time, the weather looked……. British(?) on TV. Hope that didn’t dampen the day.
Big game Tuesday. 3 points there and I think we will be golden. Anything less and it is going to be a very tense run in. 4 teams all fighting every week for those 2 spots. Chelsea’s run in is brutal, Evertons tough and the bottlers have city and Chelsea to play.
Come on Arsenal!
Trev. Went back to read BTM’s post. Not sure he was having a dig – at the media maybe, but not at the fans. At least that’s how I read it. Of course, I am frequently very very wrong.
A half for you, my esteemed colleague?
Dr C,
Have a drinky on me. Good to see you here.
Cheers all.
Oh, and Trev. Do you, like I, inflict just a LITTLE bit more pain on your spud (barca) patients? If not you’re a saint…. π
NorCal
A glass of ribiero is being raised to you right now! Is this a Quackery AGM?
In the interests of balance I should say that our favourite Tollie, or (T)Ollie, bouncer today gave my daughter a pretty neat Arsenal badge, featuring the famous Clock, while we were chatting over the railings.
The benefits of a simple, pleasant “Hello” every other week. π
As someone who is being mean about someone I have never met (I blame tabs) I stand corrected and a little ashamed….
Hey NorCal, we had a great time, thanks.
Catalan,
Not my interpretation, I’m afraid.
Good to see you in here more often though.
As for my Spud patients – I couldn’t possibly say …. π
Dr C@ 319
I say we vote Zico out while he’s “indisposed”. π
And I could use a “freshening-up” from always being called Mr Receptacle. π
Cheers
She’s always very pleasant to me Catalan.
There again, I leave after one punt of Guinness.
Tabs gets thrown out for dancing semi-naked on the tables. And, believe me, those feathers don’t cover very much. π
Is there much to cover is the question. π
The bit where they say he was “arguably” quite good made me laugh….. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22128489
NorCal @325,
I refer you to the answer I gave about my Spud patients some moments ago. π
Actually, that looks dodgy. I absolutely can’t say.
:0
Heh! Excellent …. I just received a yellow card for time wasting. Must be off π
Is there much to cover is the question.
Not a question I’d ask. π
H2H,
I don’t mind asking the question, as long as someone else provides the answer.
Cheers H2H. Have a good rest of your weekend.
Can I say a mahoosive hello to Lars and Anna before I start to write the blog/watch MotD/drink copious amounts of whisky (not necessarily in that order!).
And to zico, TaBS, Ollie, Trev … oh, all of you.
You know who you are. Thank you, all of you for a cracking day.
Somebody buy Trev’s daughter a season ticket and some boxes of chocolate.
Go on ‘h, have fun doing it.
See ya, catalan! Good to see you too. I’m ‘working’ on my dissertation so not around much, unfortunately.
You may Holic, and a mahoosive hello back to you.
Gambling tips are available at very reasonable commission……… π
1st up on MotD. :O
They’re not happy when we win, are they?
Ha ha – MOTD bitching and moaning about our pen. Nice of them to ask David Moyes his view, top quality balanced analysis.
Suck it up Hansen – how did your lot get on today you mug?
H2H – I honestly thought Hansen might cry.
Not a single word on the constant outrageous time wasting, continual fouling and lack of yellow cards for Naaarrch.
And Norwich have to be the fattest team ever in the Premier League.
I unfortunately failed to get a chorus going today of –
They eat when they want
Eat when they want ………
MOTD:
The greatest crime against humanity was committed today in the award of a penalty by a linesman 45 yards away from the spot where a Norwich player grabbed OG’s shirt and pulled him to the ground whilst clearly taking the ball as the unsighted referee only 10 yards away failed to award anything because he was unsighted by the angle.
Oh what a travesty! Poor hard-done to Norwich who would clearly otherwise have won deservedly for their high quality, innovative, Corinthian football.
Wenger, Hill-Wood, OG, Stan and the linesman must be arraigned for war crimes.
Poor Messrs Hansen, Moyes (WTF?) and Linebacker are scandalised. No greater travesty has ever occured in the history of the game.
Nasty, nasty Arsenal.
We are The Arsenal
We are the best
We are The Arsenal
So fuck all the rest
π
especially Leicester Twat. Hansen and Moyes,
Rest assured cunty, we will really fuck you on Tuesday night. Wanker!
What Esso is singing @344.
And what Holic is no doubt drinking….
Note to “experts” ; who made the call doesn’t change the validity of the penalty claim. He was pulled back. End of. Any incompetence by the ref / well spotted by the linesman is irrelevant after that.
The football mediocrity culture where they say they are “amazed” when an official has just done his job and had the balls to call what he saw sickens me.
In the interest of balance; our third was offside and a foul.
Suck it up Hansen…..
Hehs
PiK, which institution offers a doctoral degree in Marijuana growing? π
Oh….. So if the ref didn’t see it, it wasn’t a foul?
That’s a great view of fair play. He almost ripped the shirt off giroud in order to clear the ball. It’s a foul…..in the box…..so it’s a penalty. I’m just glad the linesman had the guts to call it and fair play to the ref to actually listen to him. Glad I don’t have to listen to that here in the states. Fair play to Warren Barton on Fox who agreed that they indeed got the call right, no matter who saw the foul.
Sadly Garth Crooks was even more obnoxiously biased earlier as was Colin Wanker. Still if It had got into an argument with Keown I know who my money would have been on!
Interesting that win or lose Arry always has the first and main word on his team’s matches. And that’s despite the fact he is a self- confessed Cockerney thicko
350 8Ball
The H2Home University. π
Oooook, back at the hotel now… Drunk as Drunk McDrunky from Drunkville, but veeeery happy with the day. The beer and most importantly yhe company was as brilliant as alaways! Nowrich can moan all they want about the penalty (which was a penalty all day long, by the way), but how about them taking the lead from a free kick where the Norwich player tripped on his own leg? Wankers, the lot of them. And they can all fuck their cousin and their sister at the same time without it being a threesome. Allegedly, I mean… MOTD had Moyes in the studio, how is he in any eay objective about us? He was upswt that the lino took the decision, but it WAS a penalty in any case so shut the fuck up, ok?
Right, some sleep would probably be a good idea. Night all!
Ha! You can get a degree for anything in Northern California. I knew a kid who literally took Surfing 101 at his University in Santa Cruz.
Anyways, the dark arts are arts nonetheless! π
I thought that official is called a referee’s assistant.
So what was he doing if not assisting an unsighted referee ?
This panel of idiots, normally Lineker, Lawrenson, Hansen and Shearer, has long since ruined a programme that was something to look forward to.
And this bollocks about which ref did what is laughable if not sickening. No one actually disputes he was pulled down by his shirt. The only thing to consider then is why the first official didn’t call it. I’ll assume blindsided, but if not than HE’s to be taken to task, not the assistant for making the correct call!
Holic, thank you yourself! A smashing day was had by all, let there be no doubts about that π
Heh Lars !
Some lively posts here! Trev’s chorus “They eat what they want!”, and Esso’s little ditty, put a smile on me mug π Delighted the holics that attended this most unusual match, enjoyed themselves π Rumour has it that there is a memo circulating amongs the sorry teams yet to play us. It reads like this ;’ Be wary of Arsenal in the 2nd half, esp. the last ten minutes. They are lethal. Proceed with utmost caution.’ End of. π
Yep Trev….went downhill the day Des Lyneham got his jotters to allow Lugs to become a ‘star’.
Heh @ Lars π
Surfing
“Horticulture”
Master Sommelier
NorCal edumacation at its finest, eh PiK! π
@NorCal π
Lars! Attaboy! Stay up awhile and entertain, my friend. Another round on me!
So, the Scouse Powerhouse romps to a tremendous goalless draw at, et, Reading. π
Ha Ha L’poo couldn’t score in a brothel.
Come on Hansen…. CRY
Et = er. – bloody iPad. π
I love Lars
@NorCal- Plus, I live in Berkeley, where there are literally over a dozen cafes within two blocks of my apartment! Not bad livin’… ‘cept no Arsenal! π
Strange coincidence pik,
That referee today is a member of the Berkeley Hunt. π
Well he’s gonna get puff puff passed over for not making the call himself! π
Hughton going on and on after the match about how far the assistant was away… it’s like everyone blaming the kid for being the one to shout, ‘the Emperor’s got no clothes!”
PiK,
Berkeley is a cool place. Haven’t spent much time there. Have a partner that did his undergrad work there and he is a huge Cal fan. We’ve talked off coming down for a game sometime, I need to take him up on it.
So if the Lino can’t see a foul in the box, how do they ever get an offsides call right when it’s on the far side of the field? Not only that, his shirt was stretched out so far I bet fabianski could see he was being held. Peno, end of.
Still vertical ‘holic?
Or is that match report coming in the maΓ±ana? π
Not that I mean to rush perfection.
Agreed, NorCal. Give me a shout if you come to town, we’ll catch a game together!
Anyone notice that if we win are next two, and Man City lose Wednesday, we’ll be in second place? Big ifs, but bizarre season.
So annoying that I can only get here after the majority have drunk and gone to bed … Steve T and Catalan, both ahead of me with the Ramsey/Parlour analogy I was going to post … grrrr.
I’m getting sick and tired of our first half-team. It seemed inevitable that Norwich would score first, I just wish they’d done so earlier to wake us up.
But our second-half team are something else. If only second halves counted we’d be top of the Premier League!
Some months ago I said I didn’t expect to see Jack back to his best until next season, and I’m afraid he’s done little to prove me wrong. Currently he’s clogging up the midfield which could be better exploited by Santi. But the boy is a genius, and I have no doubt that he will come good eventually.
That Rosicky was missing was patently clear from the beginning. Why AW didn’t start Theo or Ox to provide the kind of urgency TR7 brings to the game beats me. As mysterious as his love of Gerv and apparent mistrust of Poldi. Poldi was obviously rusty at first, but his goal attempts were thumping efforts and he fully deserved his goal.
In defence of the ref he was behind the guy who pulled down OG and probably couldn’t see the foul from his angle. Well done the linesman.
Norwich deserved to lose, as do all teams who simply park the bus and refuse to play football. Only one team was trying to win the game … and we did. Case closed.
Oskar
Oskar @ 375: I don’t think AW mistrusts Poldi. Poldi was starting regularly early in the season — and we played I think our best attacking football this season with Santi-Poldi-Theo-Giroud — and then he had a minor ankle injury which failed to fully clear up. Also with TR7 fully fit the only way to preserve balance is to start Santi on the left — not that he stays on the left for long — and hence Poldi the super-sub.
As is typical of Arsene, he would not give up on Gerv so easily because there obviously is a very unique set of of qualities there which are not that easily to come by. There are also the infuriating aspects but I think Gerv will get one more season to prove himself and fight with for the place with Theo and Ox, and Poldi sharing more of the #9 duties with Giroud when not on the wing.
When everyone is fully fit the key question remains whom to choose and how to fit between Santi-TR7-Jack. I think that to a large extent determines who plays on the left. And also, after quite a few seasons we have the potential of real variation in attacking combinations and formations.
No disrespect i think you mean Eddie McGoldrick not Parlour in your comparison to Ramsey.
A welcome three points in the end, and probably more so in that three points will sicken the likes of Snodgrass, Holt and Tony Gale.
Having witnessed Holt’s (and the whole Norwich team’s) constant and classless time wasting over free kicks, throw ins, etc, Tony Gale produced a moment of sheer idiotic brilliance while waiting for Norwich to take a freekick:
“Norwich has every right to take their time over this freekick. They are fighting for their lives to avoid relegation. They have every right to take their time and run down the clock…”
…?
I thought he’s supposed to be commentating on a football match?
After holt managed to waste another thirty seconds refusing to hand Sagna the ball for an Arsenal throw, Tony Gale enthusiastically remarked:
“That’s just great experience from Grant Holt….”
Tony Gale is a clueless cunt. There’s no two ways about it. And the fact that our win made him sound like a nagging hoe makes it all the more pleasant.
Just two words for Totally Hopeless FC:
GIVE UP
Up way too early today, got a coffee concert in the extra hall with a 45 piece fanfare…..
I hope it’s not as bad as it sounds.
Robert, Julian, Bobby, Hector, James, Timothy, Peter, Stanley, Humphrey, Miguel & Rupert,
My Nan knows more about football than you and she’s 88 years old.
Now fuck off.
It was a blast guys.
That’ll explain the pounding in my head, then…..
although my morning will probably be marginally better than H2H’s by the sounds of things. π
Tony pulis to be sacked today if they suffer a heavy defeat to united report the papers,runs to get table cloth..
Stoke should not sack Pulis yet, It’s not like he has relegated already, is it? Let them wait till they’re confirmed for the drop.
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