Eagles Away
Oct 25th, 2013 by 'holic
After the reverse against Dortmund we are presented with an opportunity to consolidate our position at the head of the Premier League against a Crystal Palace side who were outclassed by Fulham on Monday night and who parted company with Ian Holloway as a result of their poor start to the season.
Significantly Arsenal welcome back Mathieu Flamini from concussion, but the ankle injury Jack Wilshere suffered on Champions League duty requires a late decision on his availability. He can have a rest. Frankly that should still leave us with a midfield that can carry on the good work of the opening weeks of the season. Mikel Arteta will surely partner Matty behind a ‘perm three from’ Aaron Ramsey, Mesut Ozil, Santi Cazorla, or Tomas Rosicky.
Marouane Chamakh may, or may not, start for Palace. He is struggling to rediscover the form that he displayed at Bordeaux, and in his first six months with us. Arsene spoke of his competition for a starting berth on Arsenal Player.
“The problem with Marouane Chamakh is once I installed Van Persie in this position as a central striker on his own, he faced competition with a world-class player and that makes you compete, but every week you see the level of the guy you compete with is so high that basically you have no chance. That was the basic problem of Marouane Chamakh here.”
Palace have the ‘playing for a new caretaker boss’ thing going on, but I seriously cannot entertain anything other than an away win. The ‘holic pound I suggested on this week’s Gunners Down Under podcast was a 5-0 away win. It seems less likely in the wake of Holloway’s departure but I will stick with it. Around 33/1 should be the odds.
To those lucky enough to be making the lunchtime trip, I wish you an enjoyable day at a venue rarely visited these days.
To the rest of you, I hope your day brings you what you hoped for when it started.
G’night ‘holics.
243 Responses to “Eagles Away”
annnnd, here it is…:)
Woah Holic. I said 4-0. But I’ll ride with you. Come on Arsenal!
‘holic, my day will begin with a wish to be awake enough to enjoy the game, and then with a wish that we win, and then that the holic pound be fulfilled. and all that before coffee, at 445 am. lunchtime, indeed.
Thank heavens! Holic, our real opponent looks to be the weather. Liking your prediction, oodles of goals (ours, of course)! 🙂
Come in Radio free Europe. The pesky yanks are in the bar!
Cheers all. Let’s enjoy our weekend.
Sspeaking as a Euroholic, Good previw, ‘H. Night all. Good luck all you Colonial types, play nicely.
Nice one Guv’.
Don’t think the Over Gelled can start tomorrow, isn’t their some kind of rule that says that they can’t play against their parent club?
Still, this really is a game that we should be winning, which is reason enough for me to be a little nervous. Early kick off means that this game will be on the box, no crappy stream hunting for yours truly, yaaah.
I’ll be here in the drinks as per usual enjoying the company, then tomorrow night it’s off to Rotterdam for a 15 year reunion gig where I’ll be strutting my stuff (old skool styley) on a boat sailing on the Maas.
I just checked my ticket and the name on it is Ian Holloway! That is in fact the name of the lad who acquired it for me but I wonder if it prompts a wry smile.from the turnstile operator. The first time I saw us play here we won 5-1 with Big Raddy scoring a hat- trick and George Graham getting the goal of the season. Since then it has been a relatively happy hunting- ground but they will be fired up tomorrow and we need to have a strong attitude as it can be a passionate place to travel to. It’s hard to see us not imposing ourselves at some stage and frankly if we don’t it doesn’t augur well for stiffer tests to come. I think we might manage 2 or 3-0.
Lunchtime game, eh? Well, we might as well eat ’em for lunch then. Come on you gunners, we need those three points. Running up the goal difference is something we might worry about in the last 20 minutes if we are in a good position by then.
H2H,
Was Chamakh a loan deal or did we realease him from his contract. I thought the later but I could be wrong.
Cheers. Enjoy your boat drinks.
As far as I know he’s on a one year loan deal.
Agree totally. I must say that I have always had a bit of a soft spot for Ian Holloway. Ever since he made his playing debut for The Gas. That said, Saturday in no time for nostalgia or sympathy. Palace are a poor side. They are now a poor, rudderless side. We go there on the back of a bit of a wake up call. Saturday is a great chance to get back on track again. I also agree totally re Jack. Personally I would not even have him on the bench.
I quite like these early kick offs. Kids training followed by lunch in front of the tele with the game on. Then the rest of the afternoon watching the others huff and puff.
H2H, enjoy your day. I think 5 nil could well be on the cards. If Mesut and Santi turn it on then who knows what could happen?
Enjoy boys and girls.
I thought that Chamakh had actually gone? Isn’t he on a one year contract at Palace.
Nursie. Just going back over the last drinks. You will be a welcome addition. I hope it is sooner rather than later.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marouane_Chamakh
He is still an Arsenal player, but once the loan is over so is his Arsenal contract so he’s basically gone.
Thanks Steve T 🙂 UK holics, heard a bad storm is headed your way, arriving Monday or sooner. Stay safe!
From ESPN:
The Morocco international was allowed to spend time on loan at West Ham United last season and he has now completed a permanent switch to Selhurst Park.
I think it was a permanent deal. He doesn’t show up on the list of players on loan on the dotcom either. Not that it really matters.
He’s a bit of a Schrödinger’s cat, as in he’s there and not there at the same time.
NorCal, pretty much what I found. ‘Arsenal career officially over. One year contract with Palace’. Always a tad sad when we see our first glimpse of an ex Arsenal player, on the field against us.
Early-ish kickoff here on the east coast. 745am. Two words: Irish coffee. (Hold the coffee ). My sympathies to the gooners on the west coast!
So … Chamahk seems a decent sort. I hope he finds his grove – just not tomorrrow. Im thinking no rotation. We need 3 pts. And a strong bounce back from tues. .
I see 3-1 to the good guys. Palace is playing for pride now and at home. A little tricky.
Cheers holics. And props to the proprietor of the establishment for another fine post.
Ttg,
I always remember a game against Palace in that Radford-Graham era, standing on the North Bank swapping songs with the Palace fans.
“Eeeaa-gall-les !”, they sang at us.
“Cheese roll-lls !”, we sang back at them.
I swear, in the stadium, you couldn’t tell the difference.
Had to be there really, but it still makes me laugh, sad, simple person that I am. Don’t know if any other North Bank choristers remember that ?
I thought Chamakh was a permanent move too.
Don’t worry Abb – we’re only expecting 100mph winds.
Won’t be enough to ruffle Chamakh’s hair. 😉
Good one Trev!!!
Goonerholic, Big fan of yours on Twitter. You sure play some pretty neat tunes, son. So you can have my jumpsuit, just lay off my blues suede shoes 😉 Good luck against Palace, they ain’t nothing but hound dogs, imho. 🙂
Thanks ‘Holic … okey dokey 0-5 it is *fingers firmly crossed* ;-).
0-5? That’s a bit bold even for you ‘holic 😉
I think the lads will be trying to conserve energy for Tuesday so I’m going to go with conservative 3-1 to Arsenal.
See you lovely chaps and chappettes in the bar during the game later!
UTA
This is the kind of match we’ve had trouble with in recent years. It will be interesting to see how much real progress has been made this time round. 1-2 (ie, us winning) is how I see it … with the customary scares late on.
I’d love to see 0-5, but actually predicting it is a risk too far, imo. 🙁
Öskar
Steve T a gashead? Noooooooooo 😉
Thank you Elvis.
I knew you were alive 😉
Okey dokey 😉
Back in the kennel Oskar. Lets have some
positive vibes. It is a game of margins and we
were just off the pace against Dortmund. Confidence
should still be high and palace are definitely there for
the taking. We seem mentally stronger so we
shouldn’t slip up like we may have previously. In OZ watching at 10.45pm, so not bad for here. Murrays’ Angry Man pale ale about to be chilled. Kick off in 4hr 15m and counting…
I think Wenger would make some significant changes & I’d go for a 0-3 for the sake of my BP.
Chamakh on a permanent? Nah, I think it’s just hair gel…
Today is of course a game we should win, and like everyone else I’ll be bitterly disappointed with anything less than three points. There is no room for complacency but as long as we do our bit then Palace really should have quite little to offer. A 5-0 as the Guv’nor suggests? To be honest, I don’t think that’ll happen as in recent months we have tended to not keep pouring forwards in the same way as we have done in the past once we are ahead.
Agree that Jack could do with a bit of a rest, though. No point in risking injury again, we have options in midfield so no worries there.
Cheers ‘holic. Seen us play 3 different opponents at that ground; Palace, Charlton and Wimbledon. Looking for a comfortable win please.
Too early for the pub? Hell no. I’m off!
Come on, Arsenal!
Morning all, sun is shining here, such a beautiful day. Woke up this morning with a thought that it is long time since Arsenal had ruined my weekend. I don’t see a logical reason why it should stop this weekend against the last placed and out of form Palace, but I am nervous as hell.
The latest team news, as expected, Wilshere on the bench today, Cazorla starts.
Our strongest team starts today!
Szczesny, Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gibbs, Arteta, Flamini, Ramsey, Ozil, Cazorla, Giroud
(slightly changing mood from nervous to feel-for-Palace)
Fielding the strongest team was the only way to go. We are top of the league and we want to stay there. With the *IGG derby this weekend it gives us a chance to move futher ahead of one of our main rivals.
COME ON YOU GUNNERS.
*IGG = Ill Gotten Gains.
Battle stations at the ready, captain.
Scruz, Norcal. I assume you are drinking Irish coffee?
good morning holics!
come on, ya yellows!
Here we go. Three points and avoiding injuries is all that matters.
Come on you gunners!!!
Palace trying to Yank things up with a bunch of cheerleaders.
Pity that the best looking bird is the geezer in the Eagle suit. 😉
indeed, bt.
Anyone got a link please ?
chris, google wiziwig
oooh, og.
http://www.wiziwig.tv/broadcast.php?matchid=222356&part=sports
on it H2H thanx mate
Flamster gone already. 🙁
flams off, gnarby. earn it, son!
That’s handball!!
OK, maybe chinball.
shooot!
Should of shot, Oz.
our cutbacks have been woeful so far. 🙁
It’s all a bit lethargic at the moment. Need to sharpen up massively. We seem a bit complacent at the moment.
Indeed, some great movement down the right only to be undone with the final ball.
Still, keep plugging away….
COME ON ARSENAAAAL
team’s falling in love with the flick, need more directness. become on gnabry!!
OOoo Santi
better, but still not best.
Let’s change to the left a bit pls. We’ve got way too much space to have been at least 2 up. Show more ruthlessness boys!!
Dear o dear Woj.
Unlucky Aaron.
That was a penalty ref you twat.
We are too slow. Our movement off the ball is almost non existent. We seem to lose a lot of our leadership and drive when we lose Flamini.
gaah.
Phew, lucky that cross was to Chamakh
almost every santi pass is short. no pun intended.
Ugggh, what is going on with our passes…
@44: Heh! She was nice 🙂
Unlucky Giroud
that wasn’t the most we could be. credit to palace, though, well organized. sigh.
Poor.
A game really needing Rosicky.
Might struggle for the pound this week 🙁
@67 not a penalty. I wish Wenger have Jenks a start today.
I think we need two up front to confuse them. Gnabry off and Bendtner on.
No tempo. no urgency. Palacec happy to just sit with 11 behind the ball and soak up the pressure. All the fancy flicks are great when they come off, but we look like mugs when they don’t. Also the quality of the final ball, especially from the right, is shocking.
I still think we have enough to win this, but AW has to make it clear that we don’t get points for just showing up. We need to get in and get in quick, the longer it stays goalless the more Palace will grow in confidence.
Come On You Yellows.
ps What Steve said about Flamini.
Got to be a lot sharper this half. Turn it up, boys.
Like this:
When we play a really good team, it easily becomes end to end stuff just because of the atmosphere and the speed of play from the other team. You build something together. When playing a poor team, the speed goes down and if you have to many tricky creative players and not enough directness it’s easy you get a performance like this. I still think we’ll tire them out and win, passing them to death, but I would like to see us play with more direct players against poorer opposition just as to get the speed up and also be able to punish them when they lose the ball, just because they aren’t really up to the same technical level as we are.
Get Rosicky on.
I’m not saying we started with the wrong players, I’m just being very honest in how I would handle the situation being the person picking the team. I am also extremely honest with the fact that if I were, we’d probably be playing in the Blue Square sooner rather than later.
we’re seeing the same game, h2h.
Moving the ball far too slowly – no real width to create some space in the middle as Gibbs keeps turning inside, again – too many silly little flicks but no space to do anything else. All our chances have come when we’ve moved the ball more quickly.
Is it really that hard to spot ?
Come on Arsenal. 5 – 0 is still on. 😉
Jenks & Monreal should have gotten a run out today.
If I had any doubts before the game who is our most important player, I don’t have any now.
Flamini- bread and butter for this Arsenal team.
As for the game we are without penetration, slow, disorganized. Cazorla’s worse game in the shirt.
Having said that, I still feel we might win this by a big margin. We may however need a little luck on our side and Palace mistake early on.
Come on, this is winnable.
H2H, looks like we agree. 😉
Flamini didn’t even swear at the ref on his way off to get that yellow card. Has to really be careful now in that run of big games.
This is the sort of game we have drawn or lost in seasons past.
In 45 mins time we will know a lot more about the character of this Arsenal team. Someone needs to stand up and take this game by the scruff of the neck.
@Dg seriously, I’d have prefered NB in Flam’s place.
Come on Arsenal!
come ON, arsenal!!
Penalty!
PENALTY!!
that’s right.
Arteta!!! 1-0 😀
Get in.
Get in!
boom. nice way to start the half!
Holic pound on now.
PK! Gnabry down. Arteta scores! 0-1 🙂
Cheeky Century 😉
Arteta!
Well done Gnabry! Top boy.
Now lock this down.
No debate about that penalty! Fucking get on and make holic some money!!!
Couldn’t even tabs it 😮
MIKEL you beauty 🙂
Come on Arsenal.
Take your points.
BMBD
longhair director mug wasn’t even seated. serves him right.
ooh, close.
show them, serge!
OOooooooooooo.
Unlucky Gnarby.
Looks like the real Arsenal are out for this half.
ooh, g.
Should of done better Giroud.
great balls from koz and bac.
better choices, by and large, being made.
That’s it aaron, chuck that rag on the floor. 😉
Breaking headline: Aaron Ramsey hates the corner flags 🙂
Giroud shouldn’t be getting sent flying from that sort of challenge…
Palace look like they’re gonna go for it, that should leave a lot of space for us for a counter.
COYG’s
Top support from the home fans.
The Holic pound is back on.
It’s a force 10 gale and Chamakh’s hair hasn’t moved an inch.
Heh
Arteta off
wow.
Last man Challenge…
Shocker of a decision.
Chamakh was smart (never thought I’d type that), ref had no choice.
On what basis is that possibly a red card ?
chamakh fouled mikel, doesn’t even have enough confidence to try.
How can commentators be so blind?
The foul was by Chamakh!!!!!!!!!!!!
Clear scoring opportunity. Pffttt.
It was the linesman who gave it.
Scruz, dk, dead right.
I still believe we’re even. COYG
From what i see there was no foul from Arteta
Unlucky Arteta. Red card for me unfortunately. Time to stay tight
I want to cut Michael Owens tongue out
cunts are cramping already. handbrake off, boys.
Foul by Chamakh for me. Ex players always come back to haunt you.
The anti-Arsenal bias in the commentary is stunning.
Michael Owen is a fanny.
What I can’t understand is why he is allowed to play against us, he is officially on loan.
Good man Woj!!!
Super Woj
Szcses. Ney. Amazing.
great save, chezz.
Down to grit now. Hold the fort
Hold on to it Woj!
I think he was sold to Palace H2H
Afternoon all by the way 🙂
Take a bow Szczesny.
Nope, a season long loan.
I thought we bought out his contract and moved him on? Usually loan players can’t play against their home club so don’t think he’s ours anymore…
These two commentators wear your bloody ears out.
Unlucky Nacho
I could very well be wrong CoR.
It happens. 😉
always just behind!
Holy Shit! So close
No worries mate
Keep it tight guys please
too fancy, mesut.
2!
Oh Oh O GIROOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUDDD
Get The Fuckity fuck fuck fuck in!!!!!!
Giroud!!!
Fuck Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Get in OG, oh I want to say F*ck yes!
Now hit em
Girooooooouuuud
Nana NANA Nana NANA Nana NANA GIroooud!!!
Yeeeeees
Great, great work by Ramsey. 5 – 0 still on ! 🙂
Come on Nursie, you can say it. 🙂
Wilshire takes that one cleanly and the Holic pound is definitely back on.
Fuuuck yeah nursie
Aaarsenal Aaarsenal, Aarsenal !
palace are gassed.
Sczy, man of the match.
Great win!
Giroud is a beast. working his ass off in defense in the 93d minute.
and that’s game, folks! top o the pops!
Soopa Woj !
Nicely done!
Excellent win from our lads, I don’t want to tempt fate, but in May, these are the kind of results that are the backbone of successful league campaigns.
Szces save outstanding, and the turning point in the match.
Team should great character when down to 10, and if anything, sharpened up after that.
Very enjoyable premier league football, although not our best ever attacking display.
Game of two halves.
Over the moon.
I bet Mikel’s sick as a parrot though
Great match! I enjoyed that. I hate easy wins you see 😉
I felt in the first half the team were trying to get the job done without using too much energy (one eye on the Capital One Cup maybe?) but the second half was nice and tense with better football played by both teams.
We’re top of the league now! 5 points clear at the moment. Only downer is holic losing his over-the-top bet 🙂
Had written an entire review about everything, including the red card incident. Just removed it.
I’ll just enjoy this.
Top of the league for another week or so, gooners and goonerettes!
Just saw the replay, Chamakh actually turns away from the ball and running into Arteta!
Very unlucky Mikel.
But the lads stood up to it and kept a clean sheet. Got to love that 🙂
Agree fellas, kept a clean sheet down to ten men. Just beaming with pride.
Fuck yeah! Fuck you Eagles, The Cannon blew your arse off the field. Fuck you chamakh. Sorry for the obscenities but I thought these fools were decent people considering they are in the relegation zone already, but I didn’t like the way they played, blatantly pushing OG and getting away with it, and the first push on Gnabry that went unpunished. But for all that, an excellent result. Hope the card gets rescinded. A stout for all, ‘keep.
I know I need to calm down but that commentating was the absolute pits. Michael effing Owen full of clichés and platitudes. Mark Halsey – so called referee – can’t even spot that the foul was by Chamakh even on several replays. From that point on, all they chuntered on about was red or yellow – not who actually committed the foul.
Leaves us a bit bare at DM for the Chelsea game if Flamini is injured. Still – who cares about the MM Cup.
well I’m off to bed. mlw is waiting, and it’s still dark outside. well done, gooners, drinks are on lars!
Now to hope our rivals lose their matches now! Get your voodoo dolls out!
Wind knows @184. It’s a proud feeling.
Though we’re going to miss Arteta against Pool, especially if Flamini can’t go.
Time for a towering cross straight into the middle of the box
Joke sending off changed the momentum of the game. If people get sent off for that the game is in a ridiculous state. Ches is becoming a very fine goalie. It was very windy there and his handling was excellent. We needed a higher tempo but Palace were very cranked up and we did very well to get a second.
Five points ahead feels nice!
Tougher then we all expected, but It hink we only have ourselves to blame for that, Palace wre plucky, nothing more. Even when we went down to ten men you could see that they lack the basic quality or tactical insight you need in the PL. they were playing long balls through the middle with a man advantage, chanceless.
I’ve seen the red card again, it looks harsh as Chamakh hooked his own leg against Mikel, but as Arteta was behind him and the linesman was waving his flag like a deranged mongtard, I think the ref felt he had no choice.
Glad that the lads showed the right spirit, weathered the short storm (good man Woj) and struck the killer blow, with some good work by Ramsey and a nice finish by the industrious HFB. Ozil was way off the pace today, give him a well deserved rest this week. It’s also paramount that Flamini is back for the big games, he is probably the most influential player in the squad….. who would of guessed that!?
A very welcome 3 points. Not a great performance but not that bothered now.
Giroud !
3 points. And Arteta will only miss CoC Chelsea. Flamini will no doubt also sit that one out, so that makes for an interesting decision re the backline and defensive midfield arrangement. TV will be in; maybe in DM? Frimpong?
Yeah, the Flamini injury and Arteta sending off has me a bit worried now. Maybe Frimpong gets a runout against Chelsea and the Flamster comes back against Liverpool?
I’ll bask now and worry later though. Life’s too short to stress out about it! 8)
You poached my goal H2H !
Any news on Flamini chaps. I guess Mikel gets a 3 game ban ????
I think that’s a 1 game ban, isn’t it?
If he was sent off for stoping a goal scoring oppertunity, isnt it only one game?
Chrisgooner
One could say it went in on Fergie-time 😉
No matter what, it should get reduced to max one game anyway right?
Thanks CöR@204 – I’ll take your wise words about life to heart and get on with the rest of day/life.
my day/life
1 nil for the Orcs at Old Toilet. 😮
Stoke 1 up at Old Trafford already. Hahaha!!!!
Arteta’s red is not for violent play, so only game one suspension and he misses the League Cup and would be back for Liverpool.
The entire team needs a little break. Against Chelsea I hope no one — other than Gnabry and Monreal — who played today has to contribute. The November schedule in the main two competitions are too important and pivotal to take any risk on the League Cup.
Giroud worked manfully, but like much of the team looked tired and off the pace, but put on a shift when necessary. Monreal looked lively after replacing Santi, some nice attacking moves.
And that was a masterful and brilliant save by Szczesny. Key moment of the match.
Suarez, what a player!
If by player you mean total twat, then yeah. I agree.
What a total twat.
Total twat or not, I would love him in Arsenal shirt. Fantastic player.
well
it’s a yee haa
and a howdy diddle fuckin doo
to all yoo
mind you
chamakh , eh ?
hair still looks like a man
who tried to fix his own gas boiler
his nits have wit
i’m off to see if marty feldman has found his umlauts
cheerio
hope the usual suspects are all wel
2 saves back to back Dr Faustus! 😉 I’m brimming with jubilation. Have the silliest grin on my face. 🙂 Thank you Arsenal! Go Stoke! 🙂
cba 🙂
abb @ 219: Yeah, the first one is expected from someone in PL whereas the second one was exceptional given how little he saw of the ball which was moving.
I don’t often root for Stoke, but when I do…they’re still shitty
Ha Ha, 1-2 Stoke! Oh Dr Faustus, It’s all good 😉
Haha! And sometimes they steal one back just before half time.
Shrek and van Pussy give United a temporary lifeline, but Anauntovic pulls Orcs ahead! Moe’s needs to bring in Purple Proboscis and his hair dryer into the changing room at halftime.
goonsterham, it gets better, Shawcross and RVP getting into it. The gods are having fun!
We weren’t at our best, not even at our second best but we got out of a doggy situation, when down to 10 men, with 3 points thank Dennis.
Can’t believe the coming together, Arteta/Chamack was a foul let alone a sending-off offence. Goal scoring opportunity my hat! That Owen fellow is an idiot!
Amazing couple of saves from Ches which kept us in front and a great final 10 minutes when we might have scored a third. Ozil came into his own late on, when Palace left us plenty of space on the right and another great assist from Rambo, with a perfect cross from the left, right on Giroud’s head.
I trust Arteta’s game out will be Tuesday night’s Cup match and will be available for the weekend. Flamini’s influence was missed again, looked like a groin injury, could keep him out for a week or two, hope not.
Thought Gnabry did as well as anyone, no doubt we will see him midweek.We will need to put in a much better performance against Liverpool where Suarez is on target today.
As always COYRs
Indeed abb. Cuntyness abounds!
MU looking very wobbly, especially at the back. They can’t afford many more dropped points in games like this. Making players like Crouch, Walters, Ireland look almost dangerous! ManU are playing for their season right now, and not playing very well.
Still 45 to go though and I’d expect them to find a way back at home. If not, they don’t deserve the label “contenders”
DeliaBlock, some good points in there fella. Especially telling that in the final ten minutes, with them a man up and a goal down at home (and then 2 goals down), we were the team with more possession et more chances. Could’ve been 3-0. Quality tells, even when, as you rightly said, we weren’t near our best.
Stoke’s away kit really is atrocious. Black and neon yellow are not colors that could inspire pride in anyone. But then it is Stoke
Arteta red very harsh. Could argue it either way within the letter of the law — both whether Arteta committed the first foul (if indeed there was a foul), and whether it was a clear goal scoring opportunity. Fifa guidance to refs is that last man is not only criterion. They have to take into account the location of the offense among other things.
Overall, an encouragingly workmanlike performance with 10 men in gusty conditions against a Palace team fighting for survival. Flamini’s early departure again showed how important he his to the rhythm of the team. A couple of key saves from Woj saw us through a sticky period of play early in the second half where the game could have started to get frustrating. This team seems to be better able to play against two banks of defenders that the ones of the past couple of seasons. Three points secured even in the absence of dazzling play in the sort of game where it could have been a couple of points dropped, or worse, in recent seasons is a mark of progress.
Three lovely points.
Morning all. Going to be a long day, but I’ll just remember the result to help me smile all day. Watch the game with little Poldi. Ivana is not going to be happy with me when he runs out of steam this afternoon.
We were sluggish in the first half not really applying much pressure but even when down to 10 men we had the advantage at the end when it was clear palace was out of gas.
A good professional win. Not the flair that we expect but we weathered the storm and got the points.
The Chamakh foul was really a foul on hookah boy and very harsh to be called a red. With Flamini now out what looks like 2 weeks I don’t think we should appeal it for fear of it becoming more than one game.
I think that puts the Chamakh question to bed. He was a permanent deal. If loan he would not have been able to play.
Enjoy your weekends everyone.
Big game next weekend. The game Tuesday is a distraction but let’s hope we can get Theo up and running soon. His pace and outlet are needed Gnabry will be a player but need some experience for the coming stretch.
Well that wasn’t really what I was expecting at all. Very glad of the 3 points, which I don’t feel were in any kind of doubt really, even without the Flamster and down to 10.
Tell you what though, that’s a proper football ground. In a 1980s theme park kind of way. And I get home to discover the top 3 are us, Liverpoo and Everton….
Quite happy to be in a 80s time warp, as it must mean I’m suddenly about 30 years younger. Might have to go and put a Human League ‘record’ on to celebrate 😉
Flamini out for three weeks. Feeling sick of the three weeks phrase. We look clueless without him in defence and he misses Chelsea, Liverpool, Dortmund and United. Really bad news.
Lurky and others,
I understand your concern with Flamini out for this stretch but I think we are going to be ok. He gives us a vocal organizer but others must now step up. Per must take up the call and organize those in front and AW must now make sure that Arteta plays a more disciplined role. He can do it. We had a good defensive record at the end if last season without Flamini and we must now replicate that form.
Fingers crossed that we get the right balance.
NorCal @ 236: Equally important would be for the midfield players playing wide to give protection to the full backs and double-up against opposition counter attacks. Even today we allowed too much space and time for lowly Palace’s wide players. In addition to organizing the defense, Flamini has been excellent in positionally supporting the full backs who will need to be adventurous especially in absence of genuine wingers.
In that impressive run towards the end of last season, our full backs played conservatively and it was a visible tactics that never both of them would go forward simultaneously and one always staying back. To do that and win consistently against top oppositions without genuine wingers stretching the game we have to play a highly tactical game every match. We are capable of that, but would require greater efficiency and concentration.
NorCal, I agree that Arteta is good organizer, decent tackler and perfect passer. He also reads the game well, but his lack of pace could be devastating against the teams we play in the next two weeks.
I must say that I saw surprised with the calmness and efficiency Wilshere played that role today, so I expect him to partner Arteta in the next 4 matches. I prefer we play a 4-2-3-1 against good and mobile opponents.
As for the midweek game against Chelsea my choice would be Hayden and Zelalem (who is back training) with Gnarby, Rosicky, Cazorla and Bendtner up front.
The game is long over and I’m still beat. Character building game so I’m not even drinking.
Just listening to Reproduction. Somebody mention Human League. This album is masterpiece. The others are shite. What a time that was.
And now for a drink. Fuck character.
Just got home.
Ramsey wasn’t at his absolute best – but what a shift he put in and the way he set up our second goals was top notch.
The red card was a joke. You can’t say with any seriousness claim that it is an obvious goal-scoring opportunity when you are at the most ten yards into the half and not even close to being in a central area. (and no, being the last man has got absolutely nothing to do with it, but that is what they will say on MOTD tonight – mark my words)
Anyway, a performance far from as fluid as I would have liked but we dug in and got the three points and we did deserve them all. Özil does so many things so incredibly well and creates time and space for others.
I am assuming that we’ll be without Flamini for at least two to three weeks. Really not happy about that, but we’ll have to cope. I guess on Tuesday will see Fabianski, Vermaelen, Nacho, Jenkinson, Gnabry and Bendtner start and then hopefully just kids. If we win we win, if we don’t then so be it. Giroud was absolutely knackered for the last ten or so minutes (which means he deserves even more credit for keeping his cool when Ramsey set him up for the second goal) and he needs to rest on Tuesday. I assume Zelalem will be on the bench at the most, he’s only just back from his injury so maybe he isn’t ready to play yet, although what Wenger means with “back in full training” is usually rather “back in contention for a place on the team” than just being back with the squad.
Caught most of the Liverpool-WBA game and it annoys the fuck out of me that Suarez seems to have finally understood that football is a team game. It was much better when he ran around trying to do everything himself and screwing up attacks left, right and centre. Having said that though, WBA were fucking awful. That must have been their worst game of the season, if you see the goals just watch, for example, the way Jonas Olsson “defends” for the first goal.
Whatever. We got the three points and even though it wasn’t the prettiest of wins it was still a win and I am quite happy with that.
Right then, back-drinking time!
Hey everyone,
did not see any of the match as I have been kinda caught in impromptu wedding of my gfs friend and had to attend, but kept checking the store even while being in the church during ceremony heh.
The red card for Mikel and injury to Flamster is a worry for me, if I am right it is straight red so he is legohaired spaniard is out for three games and with Flamster out, we are probably going to rely on Wilshere, Ramsey axis (which is not half bad but still..Flamini brings different qualities in the mix and it shows).
The two next games are absolutely massive, should we win (or even tie would not be a bad result) in Germany and beat Lpooh it would really start to look really good.
Right, time to backdrink and search for replays before they are up on .com
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Really pleased with Gnabry’s contribution today. Won a penalty, almost won another, forced the issue…he has a directness and fearlessness that makes things happen. Very like Oxlade-Chamberlain of 2 years ago.
With that said I would like to see Gnabry to improve his wide play. He tends to drift inside (naturally enough, since he plays there for the youth team), but with his pace he could be very frightening out wide (and with Walcott, Ox, Podolski all out we could use that type of player at the moment). Not sure how his crossing is. But his chances in the first team are going to be primarily out wide for the next couple years, so it would behoove him to learn how to provide the width and whip in a well-shaped cross.
I’m reminded of Cesc’s comments earlier this week about the chances young players get at Arsenal. Love seeing players like Gnabry come up through the ranks and make an impact.