Gunners Breach Palace Guard
Oct 26th, 2013 by 'holic
Crystal Palace proved tougher opposition than many had thought beforehand in a match that for a long time served up extra helpings of tension for the impressive traveling faithful. Only three minutes from time were the points secured by a team reduced to ten players for the final quarter of the game.
Arsenal were buoyed at the kick-off by the return of Mathieu Flamini, but that feeling lasted just eight minutes before Matty departed with a groin strain. Three weeks is the rumoured timeframe for him to recover, so we have probably lost him until March.
Serge Gnabry came on and looked a threat from the right flank, thus allowing Aaron Ramsey to slot in between Mikel Arteta and Mesut Ozil with Santi Cazorla often tucking in from the left hand side. Most early Arsenal attacks were down the right hand side. Despite dominating statistically though we were not creating much in the way of clear cut chances. Apart from a couple of potential penalty shouts Olivier Giroud and Ramsey came closest to breaking the deadlock for us, while among a handful of Palace chances was a rare on-target strike from our old boy, Marouane Chamakh.
A disappointing half on the pitch maybe, but a strong performance was being given off it by both sets of supporters. The atmosphere made up for the drivel being served up by the BT Sport commentary team.
The second half started with a bang when Guedioura tripped Gnabry in the box with his trailing leg and Arteta stepped up to give Arsenal the lead from the spot. Given the advantage the visitors went for the jugular, but twice Giroud could not find the finish to match some determined approach play. His moment would come, but only after the momentum swung following the controversial dismissal of Mikel Arteta for what Chris Foy saw as a foul on Chamakh. For once I will not berate the official. It was only after repeated replays that we saw in fact Chamakh was the initiator of the contact. In normal time I think the referee made his decision in good faith based on what he thought he saw.
It was time for the ten to perform a rearguard action as Palace pressed home their man advantage. The hosts all but equalised twice in quick succession, but Wojciech Szczesny produced astonishing saves to deny Ward and Jedinak.
At the other end the biggest threats came from Nacho Monreal, on for Santi Cazorla, presumably to strengthen our defensive options. Then with three minutes remaining came the clincher. It owed much to Ramsey who produced an inch-perfect chip converted by a close-range header from Giroud. At last a reward for his tireless leading of the line.
Nine games in we remain on top of the pile this week, and in many ways it says something about our current fortunes that we can grind out a result when not firing on all cylinders. Arsene Wenger admitted as much in his post-match presser.
“That’s what we did today. It was not a game of brilliance but it was a game of efficiency and patience. For us it was about being patient and not making a mistake and we did that well.”
Full marks too for Szczesny for his man of the match plaudits. He looks to be back at the peak of his form after the odd dip last season, and he deserves a lot of credit for re-establishing himself as unquestionably Arsenal’s number one.
Not a memorable day maybe, but one that ended well. Now bring on Chelsea and the CoCup.
130 Responses to “Gunners Breach Palace Guard”
Drink!
We saw the same game, Guv. Unto Chelski on tuesday now.
CL spot
H, I think you are too kind to the ref. I can’t see how being at least 40 yards away from goal can be an obvious goal-scoring opportunity. I still don’t think we should appeal it though, Arteta wouldn’t have played on Tuesday anyway.
You may be right Lars. At the time I could see why he gave it. Pretty sure not all would have but that is the rub of the green. Chamakh was very clever.
Hoops, sorry ‘holic, I breached your blockade in the previous drinks. Here was my post:
Lars. 6 yards away with no keeper is not an obvious goal scoring opportunity for Chamakh???
😀
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.
True H, credit to Chamakh for being clever. Having said that, I just remembered that there is precedent for getting such a card overturned. Gary Cahill, while he was still at Bolton, had a red card given against him at Shite Fart Lane, in a situation which was very similar to this one, rescinded upon appeal as did John Terry for a foul at Man City. One reason for appealing it would be that if he is sent off or suspended again he will be out for an additional game, but we’d have to weigh that against the risk of being given an extra game for a frivolous appeal.
Steve: heh, the ref should have taken that into account!
Arteta’s red is surely for stopping a goal scoring opportunity and not a violent foul, so PL regulations dictate one match suspension and not a three math ban. Given that he would have sat out the League Cup match anyway, I think it would be a risk to appeal for an overturn just in case the panel decided to up the punishment for a frivolous appeal.
About Chamakh’s role, when he played for us he had won quite a few fouls and penalties doing exactly that, creating an impression of being wronged in 50:50 challenges. He has always been crafty in that respect. The moment that challenge happened it was kind of given — especially the situation of the match, and a penalty being scored against the home team, and the crowd pressure — it would be a red. Incorrect decision, but happens all the time in PL where referees play a lot to the occasion instead of playing to the actual even that had unfolded .
Bring back Marouane.
Spot on h. It was not much of a game. We have played a lot better than that and lost. I thought the sending off was a poor decision. Even if he gives the foul how anyone can make the call that the player has been denied an obvious goal scoring opportunity is beyond me. Especially old Mary.
I thought we never really got going today. Our passing, movement and speed never really left the blocks. Shezza was impressive, especially when you consider the conditions. He always was a good shot stopper but his decision making has improved as well. I thought Big Per also deserves a mention. I would love to have had a pound foe every time I heard ” and he runs into Mertesacker.” His lack of pace is legendary. His positional sense is as underrated as anything in football.
Today, as with Norwich and Dortmund just shows how much we need a player like Flamini. For years I have moaned about lack of width and lack of leaders. As soon as Matty departed we lost our bite. We also lost a lot of our organisation. For all the pretty players we have we just don’t have that leader who is prepared to do the scruffy stuff. I sincerely hope it is just a tweak and that he makes next Saturday. It’s a bit like when we had Gilberto. You don’t realise how good he is until he is not playing.
Still, 3 points is 3 points. Top of the pile is still top of the pile. I can think of worse places to be.
Another rip roaring goalfest at The Mem Holic. I hope you were keeping an eye out for The Gas????
😀
I don’t think Chamakh was being clever. Chamack went where the ball was meant to go before you added in the Chamakh factor. His first touch is a pass.
Good stuff!
Fine review H. I see the red as you did. Dr F summed up the circumstantial factors well. No point appealing – have we ever succeeded in one?
Just pray the Flamster is fit for the Mugsmashers.
Thanks for the write up Guv. Missed out on the tension in real time because of family visit, but knirding in the previous bar, even knowing the result, was tense enough for me.
Shame the Orcs couldn’t get the job done, and we could do without Manyoo rediscovring the art of the comeback, but that’s life. Now, what do we hope for from tomorrow’s games? Obviously another “surprise” away win at SCL would be nice. At the bus stop? It smacks of indecision to hope for a draw…
COYG
Good evening all. Holic, Being a novice, I’ve never seen a ref making that call so far away from the goal. Truly hope it doesn’t catch on with the other refs! What a buzz killer that would be. Why, it would change the whole complexion of the game! You’re right about Palace, had me more worried than Dortmund did. Maybe Ian is regretting his decision now. Memorable game for me, down to ten men, away from home and winning. 😉 And being able to share our win HERE, priceless. 😉
I thought the red card was ridiculous even in real time. Usain Bolt might have had a clear scoring opportunity but Chamakh? Nevertheless at the time it did look a foul by Arteta although it wasn’t . The fact that Wenger won’t appeal the card may tell you how much significance he places on Tuesday night’s game.
The most worrying moment for me was seeing an exhausted Giroud drag himself up at the end of the game after spending some time on the ground. He looked absolutely knackered and this underlines the folly of not getting a deputy for him beyond the rather bizarre looking TGSTEL . We are very likely to rue this. I also was slightly disappointed with the displays from Santi and Ozil although the former is just feeling his way back. Ozil can still play too peripherally and I think he is still adjusting to the physicality of the English game. Great displays from Ches, Sagna and a steady display from the whole defence. But we were playing Palace!
Ah the red card, have to agree that Spikey initiated the contact but it was only evident after the replay. Not seasoned enough to know whether that should have been a red so far from goal. I’ll defer to the experts here in the bar.
You had to expect CP to play well with a new manager, they really got behind the ball….I mean they didn’t get possession in our half until the 13 minute mark for crying out loud.
The keeper was the savior in my eyes, a couple of fantastic saves.
Given we are top of the league I really don’t get too stirred-up about what other teams have done. When we get three points its job done and on to the next match.
It will be interesting to see what kind of squad we put out there on Tuesday.
Good write up ‘H, but I think you’re being a touch generous to the referee.
Easy in the armchair, I know, but my immediate impression was that Chamakh deliberately ran across Arteta, who appeared to be trying to keep out of his way. I can’t claim to have spotted the outstretched Chamakh leg straight away, but how the ref decided it was a clear scoring opportunity that far from goal is a mystery.
Still, no point risking an appeal as he will only ‘miss’ Tuesday night – unless Foy registers the card as ‘violent conduct’. Even he couldn’t be that daft, could he …… ?
Too many old Liverpool hasbeens commenting on football. Hansen is especially culpable for being out of touch and failing to appreciate that this season is shaping up to be very different.
I agree totally re ex scousers. Owen today was so poor it was embarrassing. That said, for the first time since I don’t know when Hansen has just made a more than valid point. We have to improve what we do when we don’t have the ball. I don’t think it was a red for Arteta but he should never have been put in that position in the first place. Has that happened since Flamini departed? I don’t know. What I do know is it needs sorting.
Very true TTG. Despite being on with Lily Savage he still manages to make himself look like a prat. He’s dead right, of course, five years ago, was it, Arsenal did make some mistakes, and hey! Guess what, Arsenal make some mistakes today. Pillock.
A very good win indeed. The back four, keeper, Gnabry were brilliant, Ramsey is our go-to player – at this rate Barca will be begging us to swap him with Cesc come the summer. On a downbeat note, I thought both Santi and Ozil were dreadful. By comparison, Ramsey weed all over those two. Ozil was described as languid by the commentators, for that read lazy. Like Santi he goes missing in matches and I’m sorry but true world class attacking players do not do that. Giroud is never going to be a world-beater (re his sitter miss today) but my word does he put a constant shift in, game in game out. For all his talent, Ozil could do with taking matches by the scruff of the neck more often. His effort on goal a minute before the 2-0 goal was embarrassing to put it mildly. He can do better, he should do better.
Apologies, I am a tedious obsessed wanker who won’t go and visit my doctor.
Have seen the Arteta incident again from behind and the ref is in a direct line between the camera and the players, so I think a little slating is totally in order. I know he only has a a brief moment to make a decision but that was a really crap decision. Here in Denmark today, a player had a shot, the ball came back off the goalkeeper and the guy controlled it with one arm and knocked it in with the other. The ref gave a goal. After the game, having seen it on replay, he admitted he got it wrong. Why can’t English referees be asked to comment? Because there is no way Chris Foy can watch that and say he got it right (and retain his credibility).
Rant over.
To be honest, I couldn’t really care less about Tuesday. If we win, great – if we don’t, yawn. Only interest will be in seeing some of the youngsters again and if Toshirô Mifune can lead the line and get a couple of goals.
The important thing is for the first team squad to get a week’s break and get their mojo back. Liverpool are playing with a lot of confidence at the moment and Suarez is an irrepressible little shit. We will need to be on top form to get a win – it will be very difficult to keep a clean sheet. No chance of Walcott being ready, I suppose? We miss not only his pace, but our opponents’ fear of his pace.
Well done today lads – slings and arrows and all that crap. Ramsey was indeed looking a little jaded but great players have great moments (even in the 88th minute) and that was certainly a peach of a pass for the second goal.
Top of the pile till next week, at least. Chelsea-City tomorrow – hopefully a draw so they both drop 2 points.
Apologies, I am a tedious obsessed wanker who won’t go and visit my doctor.
David, Must disagree with regards to your comments about OG and Ozil. OG, as one holic said earlier, is a beast. His hold up play alone, is outstanding. As for Ozil, some of us saw what he was trying to do. As Ttg rightly observed, he’s still adjusting to the physicality of the league. Wasn’t that long ago he was unable to play the full ninety, at Madrid.
Comment 29: total heads gone! Who made the second goal, who had our only decent shot in the first half. Ozil did not even feature in a clip on MOTD, says it all.
Subtle criticism of the referee couched in an opening denial that it is criticism of the referee. Fergusonesque, if you ask me. 😉
Ah – but ratkins, re. our dodgy defending – 18 other PL teams were even dodgier last season. Only Man City conceded less goals. Our problem last season was in not scoring enough.
Girouds touches are brilliant, his lack of pace is a drawback – he makes Bendtner look quick – I love the fact he keeps going and trying. His missed never affect him and he is always a threat to get on the scoresheet for sure.
‘holic. If Arteta had not been sent off there can be little doubt that the predicted 0-5 would have come home. 😉
Shock news. Alan Hansen is MNB.
Apologies, I am a tedious obsessed wanker who won’t go and visit my doctor.
ratty – Ramsey second rate! You cannot be serious 😉
Mate are you on something that should lead to you having a visit from the police??? Ramsey is the best player in the EPL right now. Frankly what you say is laughable at best.
Apologies, I am a tedious obsessed wanker who won’t go and visit my doctor.
This is a public service message.
Please do not feed the troll.
Thank you
and goodnight.
Apologies, I am a tedious obsessed wanker who won’t go and visit my doctor.
How best to deal with a troll…we need a billy goats gruff methinks
Speaking of 0-5 scores I see Celta enjoyed a pleasant day out in sunny southern Spain by thrashng Malaga, Santi Cazorla’s old club. Maybe the home club were taking the sunshine for granted?
he wasnt a red card : 1. both player were pushing each other
2. Goal opportunity :we are talking about Chamakh 😉 ,even if arteta let him throw,he would have been caught by another player, or at worst would have shot and hit the international space station
Arteta should not have been in this position,someone wasnt doing his job staying back
Calling Santi and Özil dreadful only shows the level of expectation on both of them, if you ask me. They have certainly had better games, but dreadful? Nah, can’t agree with that at all.
Lars, I have proven to be an authoritative voice when it comes to all matters Arsenal – I am still awaiting apologies from regulars on here when I rightfully claimed we would struggle to quality from our ECL group. Ozil had one mazey good run soon after the 1-0 goal, that besides he was abject.
Qualify
Don’t spoil Ratkins fun, folks.
This is doubtless the only place in the world where he actually dares to say anything at all.
Ratkins methinks you are the Blipmeister from Blipsville
David,
We are half way through the CL group, level on points with Dortmund.
Are they, in your book, struggling to qualify too ?
Agree with every word Steve T says @ 14, especially re the BFG. Reads the game as well as any defender in the country.
Also agree re: Matty Flam, although we were on a decent run when he first arrived so team can’t keep going to bits every time he’s absent.
Quite a few of the players look bushed, which is a worry given the upcoming run of fixtures. Think we have to learn to rotate a player or two every now and then in the league.
Enjoyed Hansen on MOTD. Clearly the pain of 89 still burns. Good.
Apologies, I am a tedious obsessed wanker who won’t go and visit my doctor.
No Dortmund proved on Tuesday they are a better team than us, hence I will never moan about losing to a superior side. If this Arsenal side goes and gets a positive result in the Sao Paulo to qualify then that will be one of the great feats for any Arsenal side since 2006.
My apologies to “”Authoritative David”” for his wily prediction that Arsenal would struggle in the so called group of death. Last years finalists and a great Napoli side have no more points than us and appear to be also struggling. I note that you did not say that they would not qualify so you are taking a quid each way and cant really lose.
Ozil is an obvious dud as his stats from his previous clubs can confirm, he too will struggle. Have you been watching this game long.
N7: they did look tired, but then again the bigger games are always easier to gear yourself up for. But it was an early kickoff and it was after a hurting defeat in midweek, and I presume pretty much everyone who played today will be rested in midweek and should be a bit more fresh for next Saturday. I do suspect Santi may play on Tuesday just to give him more time on the pitch so he can continue to find his form again, but I’d be suprised if players like Giroud, Jack, Ramsey, Woj, Sagna, Özil, Gibbs and perhaps even Rosicky are even on the bench on Tuesday.
Apologies, I am a tedious obsessed wanker who won’t go and visit my doctor.
Why are you guys responding to this troll, If Arsenal play well and lose, fuckers will complain. When they play fairly bad and win same muthafuckers will complain. It’s a 38 game season if @ratkins feel that you will see entertaining football all through the season then you must be the dumbest fan ever. Plain silly and stupid. We won move on what the heck is wrong with folks these days damn.
Just name me one other team in the league with as many offensive players out as we do. Our midfield has done a courageous job of keeping us up.
Well, we’re top of the league, my frisky friend 🙂 It didn’t just happen all by itself. You know the real shame is we won’t have Theo and Flamini for Liverpool. But just try to be happy for now, go on then, just try. 😉
Apologies, I am a tedious obsessed wanker who won’t go and visit my doctor.
Lars @ 56: Not just next saturday, given that afterwards we have two more massive games within 8 days before going into the last international break, it is vitally important that we have a well-rested fresh squad for that week. I guess one of Jack/Santi/TR7 (none of whom played ninety minutes today) would need to start to give some orchestration to the midfield, but otherwise we should play youngsters and the defenders waiting for some game-time. A line up like this would do very well:
Fabianski; Nacho-TV5-Hayden-Carl; Frimpong-Jack/Santi/TR7-Zelalem/Eisfield; Ryo-Bendy-Gnabry . Give players like Ollson and Akpom chance from the bench.
Chelsea is playing with just one day gap, so they will need to rotate as well, and we should get back to using the League Cup to blood youngsters. Winning it won’t make any difference in the wider scheme of things if we lose out on the main prizes.
Flamini’s injury was a game changer as it lead Arsenal to victory and a clean sheet.
Apologies, I am a tedious obsessed wanker who won’t go and visit my doctor.
As I said in the previous drinks, Foy could have given the Arteta red card incident either way and still been within the letter of the law — which suggests the law is an ass.
Plaudits for the BFG well deserved. I also don’t think he is as slow as his loping running makes him look. And as mentioned above his positional sense is first-class. You don’t win as many German caps as he has if you are a cart-horse. For those in the bar old enough to remember watching Bobby Moore, he would have been quicker with a Zimmer frame. Yet his positional sense and tackling made him one of the best defenders ever.
Gotta agree with dkg (*28), it was no red card. Viewed from behind the ball is going one way while Chamakh is cutting across in the opposite direction, purposely blocking off Mikel who stumbled with the contact catching Chamackh’s arm … at which point Chamackh naturally fell over claiming a foul. From the side the linesman could only have seen half of it. If anyone should have been penalised it was Chamackh. Given the blindness inherent in FA juries I wouldn’t bother appealing it though. We all know how infallible they believe their officials are.
Sagna Motm for me. Sir Ches had one of his best games but Bacs was a rock and his crosses were much improved. Practically all our attacking started with him down the right.
Öskar
Cheers ‘holic!
By the way, your clock needs putting back!
Wenger said last week in an interview to a foreign paper that the BFG is in his opinion the best defender in the world at present. I wouldn’t go quite that far but Im a big fan and he makes up for his relative lack of speed with superb anticipation . Lots of great defenders have been slow- Bobby Moore comes to mind but they make up for it with superb positional play and reading of the game. He and Kos work very well because Koscielny is very quick but sometimes just a little rash.
Frankly I think Sagna is our third best centre back and was superb yesterday. I think in games like the Dortmund one the attacking elements drain him a bit but he is an excellent defender and great in the air.
Morning all.
Cheers Esso, clock duly amended.
Next time give me a chance to get up 😉
Mornin’ all. Sun shining and Arsenal top of the league for yet another week. What more could a gööner ask for.
Nice bit of editing there, ‘H. 🙂
Morning all,
Sun is shining here too, right on the top of the league table.
Just off for a walk with the dog in winds that are building nicely towards hurricane force.
As we’re not ones to ‘chamakh’ our hair down beforehand, we could all come back resembling a Jedward lookalike competition.
Enjoy your Sundays. 😉
Thank you for the post ‘Holic. We won, and my blood pressure is back to normal :-). It had better not be a CoCup against that lot. Bring them on.
Enjoy it P 😉
Trev will be having competition for puns now, Poppet 😉
Hello from Taina to all of you.
Congrats on a nail-biting game! Looking at your weather prospects and praying you all keep warm and well. Make sure you have candles/flashlights and batteries and lots of tinned food. One love!
I see we are back on line.
Thank you Taina, hope all is well over there!
Great to see you here Taina.
Will drop you a line later.
.. & Taina
Thanks Ollie and ‘Holic!
not a wink of sleep for weeks
when cows have calves
they are taken from them
imagine how you’d react
i’d moo too
but it’s not a normal moo
it’s heartbreakin
but
i made a beef curry last night
so i am full of shite and contradictions
Useful result and a fitting review.
Re Sagna: he had been variously slated in good measure when his crosses had let him down but he did deliver some quality balls for Giroud against Palace.
Just thought I should mention it.
Nacho was quite the effective attacking force yesterday when he came on, too. Just to mention another thing that could be mentioned …
cba @81. Quite understandable. 🙂
Sure associations at an unconscious level was playing part as otherwise it is quite an extraordinary coincidence of words and image 🙂 :
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-24691368
I really would love Arsenal to win the league, but having watched the Palace match yesterday and BD during the week, in my opinion Arsenal are going to be whacked out the box by Liverpool, Chelsea, Man City, even Southampton and Man U. There is simply no physical power or ‘presence’ at the moment. Passing and passing is all fine, but any team with some power can push right through that and once around the Arsenal goal they are in, all the sugar delicacy just crumbles. Szczesny was good yesterday true, but he has let in a lot this season, and I don’t think he inspires confidence when the ball is in our box. Ozil looks exhausted. Giroud looked truly mentally bushed yesterday, not only physically. We need some muscle, something to threaten with! Just my opinion, to be honest, and I would love to be proved wrong with the upcoming fixtures and come next year.
cba’s in saddened moo-d
but still he uses them for food
but cheer up cows
no need to worry
there are worse fates
than cba’s curry ……
probably not, actually ….
Only cba,
pure quality, right there 😉
Good to see you back maestro.
Faustus @85,
pretty amazing how someone didn’t spot that.
Especially a Head of Media with a name like David Sternberg ……..
heh at cba and cbTrev. Truly incredible, Trev 89.
Manc’s New Order team could always play in the Joy Division…
Great drinks above. Nice to see CBA and Tania drop in. Watching the El Cahsico. Chelski are leading 1-0 at half-time. Here is hoping it ends in a draw.
cba also rustles a few local lambs for his curries.
Ah, he’s a rogue-an gosh, don’t we know it. 😉
Arsenal win away and cba returns to the bar. I’d call that a good weekend!
Londonders, what are the forecasts for the coming days? Any risk of the storm coming in being so severe that the game on Tuesday may not be played? Saw some pictures from Swansea-West Ham and it seems to be absolutely pissing with rain there.
Lars – Here in Oxfordshire, it’s been windy today. I’m due to drive down to Cardiff first thing tomorrow morning and am reasonably confident I’ll make the trip without problem.
I’d be absolutely gobsmacked if there’s any disruption to Tuesday fixtures.
I’m used to being wrong about these things too.
Hate to say it, but it’s a really, really good game of football at Stamford Bridge. The score, if you are not watching, is 1-1, Sergio Aguero just scored with a thunderbolt of a left foot.
Pangloss: cheers, that sounds reassuring.
Penaldado strikes again.
I hear Totnum once more needed a penalty to score. Bet it was a dive as well.
Bah
Bad result.
Have at it lurkers…
BMBD
Passes into the net …..
but misses ! Ooh er, misses ….
Well in Lurky. 😉
Well, Chelsea were gifted that by some Almuniaesque goalkeeping.
Joe Hart will be playing in the Championship within three years. He’ll be sold in the summer to a club much further down the league which he’ll then be relegated with.
OK, maybe not. But I have never really rated him, he hasn’t got what it takes to play for a top club. He looks brilliant when playing for crap teams because he’s a shot-stopper but playing for a team like City requires much more than that.
Really scared of this Chelski team with the luck on their side.
Classic lurky goal
Classic Ollie assist
Lars – Re weather.
I am very cynical about most things – you might have noticed!
A BIG storm hit the South of England in 1987 that hadn’t been predicted, and, it is said, Mrs Thatcher told the Met Office (UK government weather forecasters) that if there was one more cock-up like that, she’d sell them into the private sector. Since then they have been MUCH more cautious in their forecasts.
Also, consider the meejah – “Terror Storm to hit UK” is quite likely to sell papers. If it happens, all well and good, if it doesn’t, then either everyone will be so relieved they won’t be too upset about the alarmist headline, or you can sell even more papers by running “Boffins get it Wrong Again” headlines.
I lived through the 1987 storm and it was quite something; the worst storm for 125 years as far as I recall. This one is being trailed as the worst since 2007. Big deal, say I.
I have no doubt that the South of England is in for some bad weather and strong winds. I anticipate that several small country roads will be blocked by fallen trees and there will be bad traffic driving conditions and big traffic jams tomorrow, but seriously, the UK doesn’t get hit by bad weather, as the rest of the world understands it.
If I went into that kind of thing, I’d pray that I’m not mistaken.
One paper last week was forecasting the exoected winds as follows –
Wednesday – 70mph winds – Sunday night to Monday
Thursday – 80mph winds
Friday – 100 mph winds.
This information apparently comes from someone who heads up an internet subscription weather forecasting service.
As Pangloss said – it sells.
At least I got my barnet restyled for free this morning. 😉
Chelsea’s deal with satan is clearly still going strong.
Can’t wait for the karmic whiplash effect at some point.
N7, isn’t it a bit harsh to call Joe Hart “Satan”? 🙂
Pangloss/Trev: I had only seen the headlines, that was why I asked. I do of course know that they tend to exaggerate, and I suppose as long as it’s just rain everything will be fine. But if more than two snowflakes are seen then it is, as The Smiths once sang, panic on the streets of London, panic on the streets of Birmingham, Durban, Dundee, Humberside…
Lars – Snow would be a real surprise.
The weather forecasters are still treating temperature less that 10°C (40°F for our American friends) as worth commenting upon – I think it may have been over 20° as recently as last week.
I’m REALLY confident there will be no snow over southern England between now and Tuesday. I would seriously consider accepting odds of 100-1 on.
Pangloss, I am not expecting snow either! It was just a comment on what seems to be a pathological fear of snow within authorities with the power to call off football matches 🙂
Well, that was certainly a hard-fought match this afternoon with a couple of really good goals and an almighty cock-up to decide the winner. 1-1 would have been a fair result. Both teams look very strong, especially physically – no quarter given. Garcia was fortunate I thought – definitely a premeditated assault on Torres off the ball – I thought they gave red cards for that sort of thing.
Torres was almost unplayable, looking back to his best (despite the miss), and Clichy had a shocker – I hope Theo is back by the time we play them in December.
Saw the Spurs penalty decision this evening – absolute joke. Looks like the ball glanced off the defender’s thigh and hit his arm from just a few feet away.
Compare that one to the barge in the back on Ronaldo which wasn’t given and it makes you wonder about refereeing standards generally.
Hey holics, Tania, great to see you again! Somewhere in the archives, is a video our Terry posted. As memory serves me ,he was in it! Will do my best to find it and share 😉
Now GB holics, beware of local flash floods and don’t drive your cars through anything bigger than a puddle!
Enjoyed the Sunderland/Newcastle game. Seb Larsson never ages! 🙂
Goodnite everyone. Looking forward to shaming Chelsea!
Puddles no problem abb. It will be the trees and the power lines 😉
Currently in the calm phase. It is coming.
What’s all the fuss about? If not for the occasional “winter” storm, how would Fat Sam ever bathe?
BMBD
111 Lars
It’s to do with a fear of crosses, I’ve been told.
And I’m pertty sure mozz wrote ‘Panic on the streets of Carlisle, Dublin, Dundee….’
Sorry, but smiths fans can be pedantic in the streets of…
Pah,
Softie southerners don’t know what real weather is.
104 Lars.
Fraser Forster is head and shoulders above Hart as a goalkeeper at the moment.
Good post Holic.
It’s lovely to see Taina in here again, what a pleasant surprise 🙂
This storm is supposed to be hitting the South-West of England first… *gulps* The rain and wind earlier yesterday was probably just a precursor of what is to come…
Hey holics, what’s the good?
So, Newcastle losing the TyneWear derby and City losing the Oil Firm derby. Alan Shearer must be double pissed, that Potato Head Wanker 😀
I feel sorry for Hart but I do rate him as a keeper. He was fantastic when he was out on loan at Birmingham some years back. Let’s face it, with the money he’s making and the lack of competition from Pantilimon and Richard Wright, he’s not feeling any heat anymore. As a gooner though, I’m loving it! Long may it continue, eh?
Any thoughts about the COC match against the blue scum? I want our kids to batter them! Samurai Bendtner hat-trick, anyone?
I like the way you think, CoR.
BMBD
Apologies, I am a tedious obsessed wanker who won’t go and visit my doctor.
Morning all. A bit breezy this morning I must say. Gonna play havoc with my new hair do.
Tania, I echo those above. Lovely to see your words on here.
Not massively bothered about Tuesday. I do hope it is still the normal CoC type side. Saturday is the big one for me. That is the one I am looking forward to.
Stay safe everyone.
Heh! I want to bookmark this and come back and read it again in May 2014. Hilarious the way he says “will not” as we know he means “I don’t want them to” 8)
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/arsenal/10407579/.html
@Cannon 126. Bookmarked this one too. Seriously tempted to design a ‘fuck u’ postcard for this shitty analyst when we do win it.
http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/alan-hansen-looming-showdowns-with-real-top-guns-to-expose-arsenals-flaws-29704523.html
Double Canister: you are probably right, I was just quoting from memory and it’s probably been a few years since I listened to that song.
CoR: he did look great at Brum, but that is exactly my point. When he doesn’t have to deal with much other than standing on the line trying to stop shots behind a deep-lying defense he looks like a real goalie. But that aspect of the game is almost non-existent at teams nearer the top end of the table. It’s much more about knowing when to come out of your area, coming for crosses and, perhaps most important of all, being able to stay calm and focused even when you stand around not being near the ball for long periods. I’m not at all convinced it’s got very much to do with the lack of competition, he’s always been prone to go walkabout on crosses and long balls but it’s not until recently that it’s been getting any wider attention because Man City have been comparatively unsuccessful in the last two seasons and don’t have the up-and-coming label anymore.
Saw the Totnum penalty last night, a very debatable decision. We were denied a much more obvious handball v WBA, that’s for sure.
I also must comment on Alan Hansen. I do see what the point he was trying to make was supposed to be, but that he found so little support for it that he had to resort to going back to 2010 (!!!) and to a corner in the dying minutes of a game that we were chasing while down to ten men should have told him that maybe he hadn’t really spotted a trend and was looking at anomalies. I’m quite sure you can find similar mistakes by all teams if you allow yourself to go back almost three years… Sure, we have not been perfect in our defending by any means but far from a disaster too. I’m not saying we’re going to win the league and our lack of cleans sheets probably needs addressing but to assume that we’ll lose it completely against the top teams just because we conceded a corner against Everton – with Armand Traore in defense! – in January 2010 is a bit far-fetched. Personally, I think injuries are going to be a much bigger problem (we simply have to find the cause of all these problems) than Samir Nasri not tracking Steven Piennaar almost three years ago.
…and by the way, speaking of Hart and Hansen, if Hansen wanted to find reasons why City won’t win the league he’d strike gold looking for cock-ups by Joe Hart in the past three-or-so years.
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