To The Hawthorns We Go
Oct 5th, 2013 by 'holic
West Bromwich away. A trip I first made towards the end of the 1971 double season when a 2-2 draw left our title dreams in the balance. It has been a happier hunting ground in recent seasons however. The Baggies current stay in the top flight is into a fourth year and after a draw in 2011 we have won twice, including the memorable Champions League clincher in 2012.
Of course we were there just over a week ago for a League Cup tie when a very different Arsenal side to the one likely to start tomorrow took us through to the next round on penalties. Of the eleven that started against Napoli the only new absentee is Bacary Sagna. Carl Jenkinson will deputise.
After the outstanding European adventure in midweek all eyes will be on the midfield again. We can probably anticipate early adventure from the visitors but as we have shown more than once already this season that may give way to something more cautious should the hosts also start at a gallop. They will be in good heart, having won their last two Premiership fixtures, including a spectacular and deserved triumph at Old Trafford last week.
The ‘holic pound follows a familiar path, hoping to achieve a third consecutive Premiership success. I’m on the 2-1 away win, available at nines if you shop around.
I am so looking forward to tomorrow. It represents another step on an incredible journey. Anything but a defeat will take us back to the top of the League and continue an astonishing run of form.
The opening day of the season seems a long way distant now.
Finally, if you haven’t got your entry in yet for a signed copy of Dennis Bergkamp’s new book then you can check what to do here.
Cheers ‘holics.
228 Responses to “To The Hawthorns We Go”
The opening day of the season does indeed seem a long way away, H.
Would be good to go into the interlull, top of the table.
0-1 to the Arsenal. 8)
No way !
So close but yet so far! Can see a few goals tomoz 3-2 the Good guys!
Hello z, Chippy.
I’ll take 0-1 too, and 2-3.
Have a good one.
0-3 for me! UTA
I have a feeling that it’ll be 3-0 for the good guys too, Tommy. Enjoy.
Evening BtM.
Hope all is well. Looking forward to buying you that beer.
By Jove there are some fit women on Strictly…..
I can tell this because the Missus keeps sniping at them. Anyway to important things- I’m with the 3-0 brigade. I think we have got real momentum but the young lad Berahino is a talent and we need to watch him. But we’re flying and having seen a bit of United tonight( poor old RVP is playing like a little boy now- shame!) and City earlier we really have got a chance this season.
COYG
3-0 ozil,og,rambo.
Kos to score tomorrow.
Good one ‘holic and a reminder that a draw might not be anything to sneeze at even as an awAy win is to be had at any cost let alone nines. 🙂
I like your cautious optimism, ‘H, but I’m having none of that. I’m not worried about Berahino I rather think Mulumbu, Amalfitano and Shane Long will all pose bigger threats than him. I expect us to get a comfortable 3-1 win.
Same as 12 cent said ‘holic.
1-3 to the away boys.
I’ve seen our rivals (cough) tonight on highlights, and they are not special.
Appreciate your realism as well ‘holic. I’m looking for the 2-1 as well in spite of so many buggers on Talk Sport saying it is our time to stumble. We will continue with our spirit and verve and carry the day. COYG!
Stumble, schmumble.
Albion beat United ‘cos United are pants.
I’m with the 0-3, at least. Hat-trick OG.
COYR
I always thought Amalfitano sounds like an idyllic Italian holiday destination. You know the type…small village with cobbled streets built on a steep hill leading down to a rocky cove, crystal clear waters of the Adriatic lapping at the shore, a small bevy of Vespas parked up by a low stone wall, and half the guys there wear 70s wraparound shades and walk around with their shirts unbuttoned to their solar plexuses, while the girls are olive-skinned beauties with shoulder-length dark wavy hair and you’re in love with one of them called Catarina.
…or something like that.
We are off the top, we play at the same time as the spuds, and we know the baggies can have a good day if let play. So chances of complacency are low. Arsenal will have to be good to beat the Albion for sure, but it won’t need the same level we played at against Napoli.
It’s amazing how well we do nowadays with such little possession, especially away from home.
Good to be looking forward to games with such confidence again, H.
I think they will score but we’ll win 3-1.
A reminder watching MoTD that not only did Chelski sell Sturridge to Liverpool but they loaned them Moses as well. That’s the one I keep overlooking but it just emphasises how wrong this loan system is.
Lukaku to Everton, and Moses to Liverpool both on season long loans. Ridiculous.
Sounds idyllic, Canberwell, and quite unlike my memories of Italy which begin with sidestepping dog shit on every street, and end when you finally skid in one while eyeing some cute female posterior. In between the wines are awful, the service rude or non-existent and the accommodations medieval.
But there are those cute bums… 😉
Öskar
I’m looking for an improved game from TR7 and goals from OG, Rambo and Mikel. And a clean sheet. 0-4? Okay, 0-3 providing they don’t switch off too early.
Öskar
1-0 will do nicely I am a bit worried about this and just hope that we go out with the right attitude, in the past we have lapsed in this area and thought we just need to turn up and the game will be given to us.
WBA will be up for it following ggreat result last week and will be out to show that it was no fluke.
1-0 to the Arsenal
COYG
Unsure which vision of Italy I prefer but upon careful consideration decided slightly in favor of Camberwell’s. 😉
Just hope Amalfitano isn’t the bogey man.
Cent, the monks at Castle Ned say that Shane Long has never been on the winning side when he has played against the Arsenal, though he has caused trouble, a goal and two assists in six games.
Me, too, bt8b, although I’ll leave the guys with shirts unbuttoned to the solar plexus to Wolfie.
Ned, exactly what I expect him to do tomorrow-disturb a wee bit but still end up on the losing side, again.
Sounds good to me, Cent.
Cheers, Ned. Time for me to try and force some zzzzzzzz it’s already 2:19am here and want to be in church by 9:15am. Goodnight.
*checks ‘holic pound, puts all personal fortune on that scoreline, jinxes it forever!’* 😉
I’m not worried about complacency at all.
Not with this group, and even if they were to be a complacent group, they can’t be when everybody and their sister are saying that we’ll collapse in November (the Chelsea, L’pool, Dortmund, United stretch we have) and that we’ve had an easy run in so far (which to be fair, is a true statement. United’s fixtures have been horrible so far).
I have to say I am extremely worried about this game and have a horrible hunch that we’re not winning this game.
I’m usually uber-optimistic, but this hunch is just not leaving me.
Hope I’m wrong.
Clearly I was in a timezone 30 hours ahead of GMT yesterday. In part because the local channel was advertising the game as on at 11pm local time. However I am eased the boys had an extra day to recover after Napoli.
I know we looked awesome ( in both modern and classical usage) on Tuesday evening but I still cannot see this game being a canter. I will gladly take the 0-3 to the good guys that is widely expected by the denizens of this bar but the inner Gooner tells me this will be nail bitingly close and an edge of seat 0-1, 1-2 or 2-3.
COYG
Is it weird that I’m more worried about this fixture than the one against Napoli? Anyway, if things go according to plan I could see us nicking a 2-1…
Ah well, back to watching Sopranos until the game starts 8)
Cheers H! Looking forward to it as well.
Oskar you’ve been going to wrong parts of Italy, for me La Bella Paese was always more (although not exactly) how Camberwell describes it. Have n’t been there since 2008. The longest period of my adult life without a visit. Miss it badly.
Morning all.
Hoping for a great one today.
Oscar,
You ought to visit Emilia. Not possible to get bad food. All the women are beautiful and the welcome warm.
Sounds like you’re describing Napoli to me……
Good morn Guv’ & holics.
Unlike a number of holics here, am routing for a 0-3 demolition of the Baggies provided we don’t concede a penalty.
Am also backing any of Flam/Kos/Gibbsy to get a goal.
Speaking of the Y word.
This is fantastic.
http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/oct/05/poignant-jewish-football-journey
Morning all,
An interesting quote from Snir above,
“I’m not worried about complacency at all”, sounds a touch complacent to me, but I think I know what you mean. 😉
Slightly nervy about this afternoon but still think a hard fought 3-1 is on the cards. If some of us are nervous imagine what the Baggies fans must be feeling when they look at our attacking options.
nitpicking eh Trev? 😉
Good morning chaps. I think we’re going to have a fight on our hands against West Brom, but the good thing about this team is that our players turn up for games ready for a fight.
I’m expecting another hard-fought victory.
2-0 to us, but the stats won’t say it was an easy game. Özil and Giroud yet again. Ramsey will look angry.
Morning All.
The Baggies are good.
Their tails are high (per ‘Holic’s post), they have some very decent players and they’ll be smarting from their COCup exit. All so-called lesser teams want to prove themselves by bloodying the nose of the top teams too.
However, we are better and we have the talent and the spirit to win.
It’ll be tough but I think we’ll do it by a goal, maybe two. We may have to settle for a draw if we’re not at our best.
Either way, I think we’ll keep our unbeaten run rolling into the interlull.
UP THE ARSENAL!
Heh! at “I’m not worried about complacency at all”. Oxy-moronic humour at it’s best. Love you Snir & Trev 🙂
Morning ‘holics, I’m enjoying the level of optimism on display in the bar and am going with the ‘holic pound today 2-1 to the Arse. My browser won’t connect me to arseblog this morning, is anyone else in here having the same problem ?
Snir: United’s fixtures have been horrible so far
I totally get what you mean, but doesn’t that in itself say quite a lot about how far (relatively speaking, of course) United have fallen? Since when have they worried about who they are playing?
I have a slightly uneasy feeling about the game today, but as long as our boys do their job it is a game we should win in the end. We can’t expect another performance on the same level as v Napoli, but hopefully we’ll at least get close to it and that should be too much for West Brom to handle.
I’m well up for today and I’m sure players will be as well. However, I’ve just noticed today’s arbitro is Lee Fucking Mason.
This is not a good thing. At all.
@ 42 chrisgooner
Arseblog site was down, Its back up now.
Thanks Esso, I’ll have another try.
Trev
I guess if you’re worried about not being worried that’s ok but if you’re not worried about not being worried that’s not good. At the moment I’m delighted because Norwich have just scored!
645 am on a Sunday…up to mix and pour concrete, then take the lad to surf, then to a vendage/picnic. won’t be in the bar until after I watch the game, so enjoy it holics! I’m feeling the holic pound, or, sadly, a draw of some score. go you gunners!
Cheers for the preview ‘H.
Easy- peezy lemon-squeezy. I predict more fishy miracles. 4-0 to the Arse.
Juicer bound so catch you all later.
I am also bound for the Public House. It’s all a little uncouth in there but needs must.
Ned – Appreciate you looking out for me. Thank you 😉
Up the Arse!
@Arsenal: #Arsenal team to play West Brom: Szczesny, Jenkinson, Koscielny, Mertesacker, Gibbs, Arteta, Flamini, Ramsey, Wilshere, Ozil, Giroud
COYRs
Not good results this weekend so far, lots of bad omens everywhere. I couldn’t care less. Albion are a decent side, but we are better.
This is winnable.
Come on you gunners!
Really wanted a rosicky ozil combo to starrt but well, get in there jack, u can puff as u want after
Nice one ‘h sir.
Afternoon all.
If you’d asked me earlier in the week which game worried me more, then I would of said without a doubt, today’s fixture. Steve Clarke’s West Brom are a well organised, solid team, with a few players that are capable of doing something special. However, if we can replicate anything like the form we showed against the Italians, then I believe we shall prevail.
I wouldn’t worry too much about us getting complacement (yeah, yeah, I know) I don’t think Flamini would let us. Anyone not pulling their weight will get barked at and take a roasting from the DM. (He’ll Flambere them, perhaps?) I’d like to see him partner Arteta again, in fact the same team that took Napoli apart would be fine, with the addition of Jenks, who did very well at the same ground last week in the C1Cup and maybe the return of LJW if TR7 isn’t up to two outings in less then a week.
COME ON YOU GUNNERS.
Aah zico already had the teamlist up.
*note to self, refresh before posting.
COYGs!
Going for a right hammering today. 4-0 to TMG!
Come on you Gooooonnnerrrrs!
come on you reds!
West Brom get the first shot in.
good cross by Jenks, noone attacking it
allez allez allez l’Arsenal arriba arriba arriba el Arsenal etc. etc. etc.!!!
Time to deploy that impermeable shield!!
Superb SAVE!
great save by woj!
I have to go into media lockdown, too busy here. Enjoy the game ‘holics.
oooh close, what a pass by Mesut
nice interchange, well done boys.
Wilshere’s passing is shit today
Mister Mason lets West Brom kick Jack up at will …
There we go…..
fuck
Jack has been really poor today, might be better for him and the team if Arsene put Rosicky on instead of him, we will see after the interval I suppose.
I’ll take a draw from this one…
West Brom hasn’t done anything exceptional, we were too pedestrian and they did the basics perfectly well. Fair play to them.
Mummy, I want bitty…
now I am interested how team is going to respond to this, I hope we will see yet again completely different second half. We are well capable of coming back from this, although have to give credit to West Brom aswell, since they prove to be formidabble opponents.
My exact sentiments…@Eandy72
feel like every fit midfielder in arsenal is way ahead of him formwise. He has a yellow mind you.
Btw, what’s up with the ref letting West Brom kick Jack from pillar to post? I agree Rosicky might be a good change soon after half time, he seems out of it today….
agreed CoR, ref is letting West Brom players kick the living daylight out of Jack.
Fair result at HT. Come on Arsene, unleash Rosicky, but not in 15 minutes, right now. We can still win this.
What Cent said @74.
Players getting caught in possession too often, too easily. Lack of snap generally.
Jack has been one of the chief culprits but the yellow was a travesty – he played the ball.
I won’t take a draw, we should be beating WestBrom home,away and on neutral grounds if we want to win any silverware!
Cent, considering our injured players, I would take a draw at the moment.
Hoping for a win though.
The ‘Holic pound is on
4-0?! Who said that!???!
I’ll get me coat!
Seriously, second half will see a totally different performance. We seemed to want to hit them on the counter so badly that we rarely did anything with the ball in other periods of play. West Brom will be more than likely apply their very own version of the handbrake now so we will have a lot more of the ball.
Let’s hope so anyway!
Keep it simple for fuck sake!
Pedestrian was spot on. We need to wake up and wake up now.
Jack having an absolute mare by his standards.
nervy ..nervy ..nervy
what?..never a foul
Aaron off, TR7 on
Judging by the attempted block in the first half that caused Ramsey’s injury, that is most probably strained medial ligaments. Hopefully not too severe.
My 3-1 is on now !!!
Out of nothing…. 🙂
Get in!!!
JAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACCCK
THAT is what we needed!
Aaron off instead of LJW?
Wenger Knew!!!!!!
🙂
That’s better. Come on boys!!!
Jack is smoking 🙂
(Literally and Figuratively!)
Jack has been poor all game, then pops up with that. Big balls son. Get in there.
Hammers just scored!
Did I just here the away support go “He smokes when he wants, he smokes when he waaants, Little Jack Wilshere, he smokes when he wants”?
Spuds 0-1 down. 🙂
…and the Spuds are shite as usual!
Who will “Bale” them out at the last minute this time?!
…and 2-0 to the hammers!
Spuds 0-2. 🙂
lets focus on our game and then laugh at lwcs..
Get in there Hammers!
how is that not a penalty???
REF is a ….
and what a pass by Jack to OG
pen any day. ..hit the ball but took Jack out…seen them given against Kos
…and guess who’s getting hammered! 3-0!
Come on Arsenal. Come on Arsenal!
BMBD
More diabolical officiating! What the fuck?
West Ham 3-0 up now btw
BEEEEENDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDTNER! Come on!
TGSTEL time!
Bendtner on for Giroud. Now there’s a bet I would have lost. Never expected to see that.
I know Alan Smith is just doing his job as a commentator but he talks quite lot of shit doesn’t he?
Still TOP! 🙂
Hard-earned point. We should’ve had a penalty there though. Do they come any more fucking stonewall than that? Fucking hellfire….
Very poor performance. Every single one of them out there today should hang their heads in shame!
If you don’t mind now Eandy – Spuds 0-3 HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
this is exactly the kind of matches we should be winning if we want to think about going for premiership, but fair play to west brom, played well.
Fair result. One of those days for us. We did not play well at all and to come away with a point is not a bad result. We suffer from a lack of attacking options on the bench. Also out muscled in the midfield at times. Battled well though which was pleasing.
hahah exactly Trev…Spuds XDDD
and agreed CoR, the first one on Jack was maybe debatable, but the second challenge on him was penalty any day.
Back to the top?
Noone running past the ball again – makes our build up play much too predictable at that pace.
Still top of the league though.
Tottenham finding their level down in 6th place now. 🙂
Cent, really? I think that apart from Jack pre-goal, noone had exactly a bad game, West Brom proved to be difficult opponents who are flying high on confidence giving boost from ManU victory.
Still should have won it but point will do aswell, should Anelka convert when he was supposed to, we would be in much bigger mess than now (and I dont know if you can call sitting at the top of the league table on goals scored a mess exactly).
I’m annoyed with the officiating but it was important to at least get a point there. West Brom have always given us trouble so I’m not too unhappy.
Part of the problem was us being so static. Didn’t change until Rosicky came on. Reinforcements coming back soon so maybe we’ll look less jaded in future games.
Hard to win these away games without proper attacking options on the bench. This wasn’t the perfect ending before the international break, but we didn’t lose and it will easier when we start getting Cazorla, Walcott, Poldi and Ox back. Really wanted us to start with Rosicky, because we really need some directness when starting with five midfielders, but it doesn’t feel like that decision is what cost us.
Just didn’t click, but top of the league and will have more attacking options to put these games to bed after the internationals.
Not happy, but we’re still the best team in England.
Hard Fought point that,against a half decent and well set up side, Think midweek took a fair bit out the lads as we were second to virtually every ball, That said The Arsenal of the past few seasons would have lost that game today which is a good sign going forward.
Up The Arse!
Sky Shite Sports is saying that tackle on Wilshere was “great” and “tackle of the match”
I feel like I’m taking crazy pills :$
Looked flat today. Couldn’t move up a gear when we needed to. Post-Napoli syndrome. But West Brom defended well, to their credit. And we didn’t lose (and stay top). A sign of how much the team has advanced this season was that when West Brom did defend they essentially “parked the bus” but we were still able to create chances. Previous seasons that wouldn’t have been true. The Ozil difference. Props, too, to Woj for his part in Anelka missing what might have been their second goal. Covered his far post to perfection.
Tough away game and I had a bad feeling about this encounter. We made a bright start but allowed them too much space towards half time. Not unhappy but could have taken those chances that fell our way. OG almost scored the winner.
Still top of the league!
ATG – yeah, Myhill did well on that chance OG has, who either should hit it first time or was forced to do exactly what he did (which was not bad, it was good goalkeeping).
The real shame was when he did not convert that chip to him by Özil over the defence, on his latest form I expected that to be in the back of the net with a plomb.
Eandy, IMO, this was our worst performance this season, we were just too pedestrian, forgot to do the basic things well and never seemed like we came to win the game. Most of our players were taking too many touches or trying to hug the spotlight, its no co-incidence that the players who kept it simple(Giroud, Ozil, Per, Kos, Gibbs, Chesney in no particular order) had better games.
Need another striker… or Bendtner to come good!
Other than that can’t complain.
On that tackle on Jack in the box, the instructions to referees in cases where a player gets the ball first (as happened in this case) but fouls the opponent during or after the challenge (again, as happened in this case) is to call the foul only if there is “excessive force”, if the challenge is “reckless” or if “it endangers the safety of an opponent” (and it is a card if any of those apply). Plenty of scope in there for the ref’s judgement, which is why it appears there is little consistency about which of these tackles get given as fouls and which not. In this particular case, you could argue it either way. So not as nailed-on a pen as it first appeared.
Cent, I rather agree with Eandy — yes we were organization-wise a bit off (Flamini foraying too much forward and unlike the Napoli match Ramsey not using the space on the wing intelligently ) and Jack and Aaron often making the game too complicated in attacking play — but the Baggies played really well, very disciplined and very good on the ball at the same time. Our crosses and corners were poor, Gibbo didn’t go much forward as Jack was drifting in all the time and losing possession too often, and Jenk though ran forward excellently the final pass was not quite there.
Results always could our perceptions about the match, if Giroud had realized from Ozil’s chip that there was enough time for him to control and finish this performance would have seemed more than adequate.
Also, the tiredness from mid-week extravaganza played no small part.
Szczesny my Arsenal man of the match.
Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil: One more unbeaten game, two weeks more leader – wonderful time in London.
Be that as it may NBN, if it was a tackle done by an Arsenal player the ref wouldn’t hesitate for a second to give that penalty. He came from behind and wrapped his legs around Jack’s front and rear leg, and to me he got the ball after he made contact with Jack.
It seemed like he decided he would only blow his whistle if he had to. Maybe he’s an asthmatic referee?
Yosh, off to bed methinks. Big meeting in the morning.
Have a good one holics!
UTA
Dr F, there are many possible explanations(bad officiating, West Brom’s hard work and organisation etc) why we played as we did but that’s not what I was trying to point out, I’m more concerned about what we did or failed to do. As for goals glossing over the performance I told Wind on Twitter, before they scored, that ‘we were been too pedestrian’, they didn’t do anything exceptional, they just did the basic things right while we made things difficult for ourselves all through the game.
I agree with your analysis of the game though but will like to emphasise on the awfulness of the decisions Jenko made in attack today.
Well, guess I have to take the point. Lads seemed a little tired, didn’t lose. A good point if you ask me. We definitely need a striker to help out giroud don’t know if we can get on in jan. Off topic here, has anyone bought stuff from the arsenal website and have it shipped to the States. Will like to know how that works, trying to get some stuff from the website but don’t know if hey ship to the States.
You too, CoR.
To marks to Wojciech he made some crucial saves today as well!
Cent @ 145: Yes, Jenk was too eager to impress going forward. Generally his crosses are of good quality, today he didn’t offer a single one for Giroud to attack.
To think about it, we were forced to play without a single player who is naturally comfortable on the wings — sometimes the speed and accuracy in our passing is so top class that it doesn’t present a challenge as the attackers constantly interchange, but on days when that doesn’t happen you need someone to constantly stretch the game on the wings and cut back. Gibbo had a great chance in first half to cut back and present OG with a scoring chance but he chose the wrong option to blast. Maybe Gnabry for 10 odd minutes in place of Jack/Flamini towards the end would have given us that extra edge.
Anyway, these types of games are expected parts of the season. Also a good lesson in humility to the players if they needed any.
SAG @ 146: I have been getting staff from Arsenal DIrect store in UK and shipped to my Boston home for years. No problems. If you customize as I do — names, numbers etc. — then it takes a while to ship and then the shipments take around couple of weeks to arrive. They accept addresses anywhere, and have a tentative time listed in the website.
Agreed on all counts, Dr F. We are still top of the league anyway.
ATG @148, correct.
Felt we would drop points today, so happy with a point. Important to head into intl break top of the table with so many quality players to come back.
Still think we are short for a proper title run, but happy with how we’re progressing.
Thought west brom were excellent and clearly flying right now.
Can’t for the life of me see the diff between the tackle Jack was booked for and the one on him in the box.
Hats off to the manager for leaving LJW to play through. Shocking first half – shades of Ramsey two years ago. Came very close to winning it for us second half – great through ball.
No massive problem with the performance, we just really missed Santo and Theo.
I completely fail to see how Koscielny’s tackle in the Villa game was a penalty – “because his back foot made the lightest contact” with the Villa player – and today’s one on Jack was not.
Ridiculous.
We could have done with Feo’s pace today, surprised Gnabry didn’t get on.
Our play as a whole didn’t deserve more than a point. Not a game to put in the memory bank but come the end of May that point might be significant.
Trev, such inconsistencies in the officiating do my head in and lead me to conspiracy theories.
@ Doctor Faustus thanks I will give it a try
Poor old LWCs! Season over before the international break.Two defeats to their two local rivals and Soldado has not scored from open play in the League. What a waste of money!
I thought West Brom were well worth their point. Steve Clark is a very good coach and they bought well in the window. It was a struggle today but I thought we played better than Chelsea did at Norwich against much better opposition.
Worries today—-
The Corporal had the worst game I’ve seen him have, his use of the ball was very poor today.
Jack cannot play on the left.
When Giroud went off it made me appreciate how short we currently are upfront.
Referees in the EPl are so bad it makes the game a lottery.We already saw that on Day one
Positives
I thought Ches made a wonderful save
Arteta,Per, Matty,Kieran and Kos were very decent
LJW showed great character to come back as he did.
TR7 sparks the side when he is on the pitch
Just back home, here are some quick thoughts:
Negatives:
The first half was very disjointed for large parts, and we even managed to be both too stretched and too compact at the same time a few times.
We didn’t win.
Lee Mason was fucking atrocious. We could easily have had three penalties and should without doubt have had two (the handball and Jack being mowed down).
We allowed West Brom enough chances to have put the game beyond us. I don’t know if Anelka was offside or not but we have to be thankful for his rather shit finish there.
Positives:
Despite not finding our mojo we worked hard and never gave up. We did create enough to have nicked it with a bit of luck and a competent referee.
Woj was magnificent. That save from the deflected shot in the first half was nothing short of incredible.
Jack Wilshere dug his heels in and picked himself up after a really poor first half and hopefully the goal will lift him. The pass that put Giroud through was so good I thought it was Özil making it. (Good save by Myhill, by the way, more than a miss from Giroud.)
And of course…
Tottenhahahahahahahahahhahahahahahaaaaaaahhaahhha! *wipes tears of laughter from eyes*
—
All in all I have to say that while you can look at it as two points dropped (you always can when you don’t win I suppose) I see it as a perfectly acceptable result all things considered. I wanted three points but sometimes you have to accept that it doesn’t work out. Fair play also to West Brom, they played a really committed and disciplined game (and by and large doing so without resorting to Stokeish thuggery) and if they can reproduce that with any sort of regularity they will easily finish in the top half, and their game is well-suited for playing against ball-carrying teams like us. Steve Clarke has built a really solid defensive base for them to work from and you could see the confidence that has brought them in going forward when the opportunities arose.
Right, time for some back-drinking!
Trev@153 see my @140. Explains if not excuses it.
CoR@143, whether or not the defender got the ball first (and the replays show he did) is irrelevant these days if the challenge is excessive, reckless or dangerous. If the referee decides it is none of those things, then it is not a foul. Nor does it matter if the challenge is from the front, side or behind. I don’t think you can say that particular challenge was excessive or reckless in the situation. Only question, to my mind, is whether it was dangerous. There is always a case that that sort of tackle is dangerous, but it is not an open or shut decision. Mason let a lot of borderline tackles go throughout the game, so I guess that indicates where his judgment came down. I don’t disagree that if it had been one of our defenders making that sort of challenge the ref would likely have adjudged it dangerous, as per the Villa game.
About Jack on the left: he is getting the Ramsey remedial course. Aaron often looked uncomfortable out there when he was played wide, but is the better player for it now he is back in a more central role.
TTG, agree about the Corporal. Not one of his finer outings. And, not to pile on, but wasn’t it him who was beaten in the air for their goal?
I think today was just an off day. Credit though for the battling.
First goal was a mess. We just let Jacob waltz around the box until he took his free header. Full credit to Jack as well. He had a very poor first half but still did not give up. His strike deserved the goal.
Bringing on Bendtner in an attempt to win the game does not work for me. I would rather see a kid get on the pitch.
I don’t think it was a pen for the foul on jack. In all I thought the ref had a pretty decent game. I agree re the issues of consistency but don’t think it was a pen against villa either.
Top after 7? We would have taken that.
Apologies if this has already been posted but hahahaha
https://twitter.com/TheBig_Sam/status/386942601095831552
Had to stay away after that decision for the tackle on Jack until I calmed down. Thanks to NBN for the explanation. I guess we just have to live with inconsistencies between referees’ interpretations of the rules and remember that the ref for the Villa game got laid off for a week, so someone was not impressed with his. Just how the cookie crumbles sometimes.
All in all, we didn’t deserve the win. We lacked width and at least one of Gnabry or Ryo should have been on for the last 15 minutes to run at some tired defenders on the flanks. We were also very lacklustre – lacked the spark and quick play of recent games. Maybe a CL hangover – who knows.
Sessegnon really gets up my nose – can’t think of a player who hits the deck more often or more easily than him. Ref didn’t buy his dive early on but should at least have had a word. It was clear that Gibbs and Flamini were getting very frustrated with the ref for not getting wise to his persistent simulation.
Spuds – 100 million and they’re still shit. Cheered me up no end.
And we’re still on top with Norwich and Palace to come before the home game against Liverpool.
Let’s hope they all come back from the interlull unscathed – thank God it’s the final matches.
Not very surprisingly, MOTD only showed WBA’s penalty claim and ignored the blatant handball and Jack being cut down. Oh well.
Steve: Top after 7? We would have taken that.
Amen to that, brother. What was it, 10 straight wins (counting the WBA cup game) in all competitions before the draw today? I’d call that a fairly decent response to the loss against Villa.
Back. Apologies all. Report Monday night. Again.
What an amazing day…
Which would you rather have: A 1-1 away draw against a mid-table side or a 0-3 home loss against one of the clubs in the relegation places? That’s an easy decision, I would say. COYRRGs!!!
The Cupid stunts.
Not allowed abuse themselves anymore.
But still they do.
Tottenham – the gift that keeps on giving.
166 Lars
What the f^ck is the point of MOTD?
Just to see Linekar & Hansen gloating and changing the agenda from what actually happens?
171 what year was that?
This team is actually technically more talented than the 03/04 vintage, but the rest of football has improved too – you have to compare apples to apples.
Match of the day is beyond garbage now. You get better analysis from a drunk cat with one eye. I try never to watch that show. Bag full of ball-less turdgarglers rubbing each others shoulders and talking about the good old days when all you had to do was “get in their faces” to win a football match.
Fuck those cunts with a pineapple I say.
New addition to MotD’s team, CoR. Breaking.
http://www.tarborotimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Sir-Stuffington-pics-pirate-cat-one-eyed-cat-one-eyed-kitten-pirate-kitten-sir-stuffington-pictu1.jpg
The bottom half of the table is nuts. Hard to believe that West Brom after their showing today are only two points off the drop zone, and Swansea are only out of it on goal difference.
Haha! Nice one 🙂
Pirate cat in the hizzy, meearrhhhh!
Not an outstanding game by The Arsenal but not horrible either. Refereeing…he let too much go. After giving Flamini a yellow he let at least 3 or 4 similar fouls go. I am glad there were no injuries. I would be a lot more aggrieved over the not-foul on Jack if he had given one to the Bromwich player that Gibbs(?)leaned on or the one that Kos bumped while going up for a header. That he didn’t give those at least allows for referees discretion however charitable we might have to be.
“5 players short”. What are you smoking, cornflake?
Well earned point for both sides.West brom proving that their win over Utd was no fluke. most promising thing for arsenal was the defensive spine.Flamini’s signing has provided dramatic steel to the midfield. Negatives was wilshere being dreadful claiming fouls for the slightest knocks but full credit to him he bounced back in the 2nd half to be MOTM yday.. Top of the league for another fortnight.Bravo!
Evening all.
That tackle with any other Ref would have been a penalty. He was cut down from side/behind. It was a dangerous tackle. Mason is a idiot and anti- Arsenal. He just didn’t give it a little skip and fist pump this time. He was poor all game.
We looked flat today. Ramsey didn’t influence things like he has been and we were very sloppy with some of our possession. A point is a fair result.
Now let’s just make sure we are top of the league going into all the international breaks this season and we should be just fine.
Did I win the book yet?
Wilshere scored against Szczesny?????? Must have missed that one. Don’t tell me he was playing in goal for both teams????
😀
This was just an old fashioned English bruising game.
Mason didn’t assert his authority and I counted five times Jack was fouled in the first half with no call. In addition to that he was calling everything against our players and you could see the agitation on their face (particularly Gibbo).
That is a stonewall penalty in today’s game as he sliced through him.
As for the new trend now to criticize a team with last season’s corresponding fixtures – that is the stupidest thing I have ever heard.
If every game against the same opponent is the same then every season would end the same way so why bother playing? That’s of course before I even started talking about the fact that each game has it’s different story and turning points which can have a massive effect.
I’m sorry but that’s one of the stupider criticisms ever. It’s just dumb.
Had a hunch we won’t win so not surprised but still disappointed. We gave our rivals the chance to close the gap we opened last week.
Not ideal, but not horrible.
I think giroud should have won it for us. Superb vision from jack after that torrid first half.
Its is more clear that jack fancies a deep midfield role with permission to launch attacks. But he fallS behind the pecking order in the talent he have; namely ramsey n arteta. But if wenger persists with him like he did ramsey, he might just light up!
Morning ‘Holics
I thought it was a decent point earned on the road rather than two dropped against what I suspected would be a very good football team, well versed in the dark arts…. like us 😉
We were a bit off the pace, they were right on it but the odd flash of brilliance from Ozil brightened our performance, I thought. Also, chuffed for LJW to get himself back on the score-sheet.
When the news came in of the LWCs getting stuffed at their own ground, it made for quite a pleasing day all round.
Heading into the interlull in top? That’ll do me.
UTA!
TS knows.
Cheers, Mr.Bath. Are you back from The East yet, old bean?
Nope. Fly tomorrow. It’s been most enjoyable. I can see why people end up going native.
Certainly not the 3:30 am Arsenal kick offs though Bath 😉
Apologies again. Review will be tonight.
I for one am curious about ‘holics ” amazing ” day !
Holic, what have you always said about apologies? 🙂
Happy with a point.
We could have won it, and we could have lost it. 2 chances to Anelka in particular would have been buried by someone whose head wasn’t up their arse. Or at least someone who hasn’t got an upside down head. 😉
Don’t want to get into the merits and demerits of penalties not given. The nudge on Long toward the end of the game could have been given and he really needs to cut out these un-necessary brainfarts.
Top of the league and the LWCs reverting to type. Lovin’ it. 8)
Nudge by Koscileny that is.
And brainfarts by Koscielny that also is. 😛
Brainfarts are the smelliest farts of all.
Major eww action…
It could have gone either I’m happy with a point it’s not a game lost.
Still top of the league and none of us expected us to be in this position after the first game of the season. Right?
Howdy holico’s.
Had to go into media lockdown just after kick off and didn’t get to see the game until the wee hours of this morning, as such I have read no reports, seen no highlights (except for the spuds spam game, tee hee), I haven’t back drunk yet either, so apologies if I’m repeating what others have already said.
As stated above, I was already pretty nervous about this one and from kick off I saw my concerns were justified. I thought we looked a little jaded, not complacent or bad in any way, just not completly at the races. West Brom, who had no midweek fixture to contend with, looked the fresher of the two teams, I thought they created the best chances, looked most likely to score and were good value for their first half lead. Woj in goal did well to keep the score down.
The second half saw a different Arsenal, a bit more pit and a bit more drive, although we never reached the heights of Tuesday, we did manage to claw our way back into the game and the equaliser came at a great time, unfortunatly that was that and in the end I suppose we should see this as a point gained rather then two lost.
I thought the lads gave it a good go, but didn’t seem to have the puff to make more happen, I also thought, although he tried hard, Jenks was a little overwhelmed, our back four didn’t look as assured as it does with Sagna in there, hurry back Bac and for god’s sake offer him a contract extension Arsenal.
The game as a whole was spoilt by what I can only describe as atrociously inept officiating, the ref was dire. He had absolutly no control over the game. At half time, with Jack and Flamini both on cards (both warranted) I thought we’d be lucky to finish the game with a full XI, yet the home team players were yet to be cautioned. Before this starts to sound like sour grapes, I thought he made bad decisions against the Baggies too.
Poor LJW was taking a kicking, but he just kept ticking, well done to him for that. I was amazed that he didn’t get a penalty, two very dodgy decisions there. The first, he’d already got his shot off, but then the guy took him out, it was a bookably offence, so it was a foul, so logic dictates it has to be a penalty. The next one was the same, yes the defender got a touch on the ball, but he completly took Jack out. Lee mason had a great view, but again nothing, I just can’t understand that, it was a foul all day long and we’ve had much softer awarded against us this season already.
Still in the end, a point is what we got, we kept our unbeaten run going and are still top of the table, which is not bad at all. In to the interlul we go with everything crossed that none of the lads away get bolloxed while we can get some of those on the sidelines back into the fold.
Plus Andre Village Idiot and his band of Clitorus Allsorts got made to look like no hopers by Fat Sam’s Wet Spam (speakeasy), Hill-Air-Re-Us!!
A backdrinking I shall go………
I had to make do with the BBC for updates on our game yesterday as I was away at a wedding all weekend and boy I wish I hadnt bothered (the BBC thing, not the wedding!).
You should read some of the tweets and comments they post on there….. Fuck me bandy! Talk about your atypical glory hunting bunch of media fed sheep. The BBC have long dispenced with bothering to have any kind of quality control of their sport ‘journalism’, what with employing the likes of Hansen, Lineker, Savage (although his latest bit about the Arsenal is pretty glowing), but the shite they had on their feed while we were losing was hilarious!
“The bubble has burst” “Arsenal fading away” “Wilshere is useless” Honestly it just soooooo beautifl that while this was going on, we equalised and the spuds were getting hammered at home!!!
But there was hardly any of that on the news feed! Weird huh?
Its like we arent allowed to have one off day, or, perish the thought, actually LOSE a game because that will prove all the media doubters and know it all, right. I mean, none of the other top teams have lost a game this season have they?
Seriously, we are treated completely differently and the ‘fans’ of other clubs have all been fed this too, along with the mantra about our trophy drought…. No other club gets that stat thrown at them on such a constant basis…
So, top of the league and hopefully a few bodies back from the sick bay by the time we get back to proper football.
Up the Arse!!
Oh and afternoon all… 🙂
Poacher like a Turk?
Boom
I thought it was a definite penalty on Wilshere and I couldn’t believe the commentator saying it was a great tackle. From my first viewing I was certain the defender hit Jack’s leg before hitting the ball. But as others have said Anelka should have put that angled chance into the corner so a draw is a fair result. OG might have taken the points at the end but it wasn’t to be. A point gained.
A point definitely gained as far as I am concerned.
TR7 withdrawn from world cup qualifiers by us apparently..good stuff.
According to the article in czech media, he is still not fully fit and is carrying a knee knock, so good on him to have two weeks to shake that one off.
Afternoon all.
The response to the signed book of God was huge, thanks. The winner is Neil Harrison from Richmond. Congratulations Neil.
Oh no, not from Richmond!
Now I suppose we’re going to get all that Surrey shit that the Mancs do 😀
Drat, foiled again :D, first missed out on arseblog, now here, looks I am going to have to buy it in the end 😛 was about to anyway but hey, who am I to turn down the chance to win signed copy:)
Bastard…
H2H@195. Had the same reaction to the second foul on Jack but after reading NBN@160 I have had to admit it’s just sod’s law – some you get, some you don’t. Don’t want to go down that road of “if it had been one of our players tackling” stuff because that involves conspiracy theories which lead to the Twilight Zone and you end up hovering outside the window looking in at yourself having a crap – not a pretty sight.
After a good backdrink, I see that we all pretty much saw the same game. I even managed to use the same adjective to describe the ref as Lars…….
My english must be improving. 🙂
H2H and Lars,
Much too politically correct with your adjectives for Mason. He ruined what could have been a good game of football by losing all control. As a result it was played over the top and was way to scrappy.
Both sides deserved a better ref.
I’m in Berlin today or as the locals call it Goonerland! We have seemingly become immensely popular simply by playing half the German national team ! Girl I spoke to said her brother was a mad Arsenal fan though he lives in Budapest . Ozil is a bit of a deity here and there seems to be great interest in everything he does .
Now we await the inter lull with trepidation especially Giroud’s situation with France . Come back safely lads!
Richmond???? I thought I definitely read somewhere that only middle aged fat blokes from Essex were eligible????
😀
What, I didn’t win the book? *walks off to cry himself to stupor in a corner*
Could of been the mascot for the Feelgood Foundation;
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/australasia/swino-is-dead-boozy-feral-pig-who-found-fame-after-getting-drunk-on-stolen-beer-and-starting-a-fight-with-an-innocent-cow-dies-in-car-accident-8864047.html
He may even of made a decent exec. 😉
H2H,
“A boozy feral pig that shot to international fame after drinking 18 cans of beer, starting a fight with a cow and causing chaos at an Australian campsite has died in a car accident.”
The damn pig should have never gotten behind the wheel. At least he won’t bacon that mistake again. 😉
Dr Borda Disorder once suggested to me that he was going to avoid his creditors by disguising himself as a rabid animal.
Come to think of it, he ain’t been heard of in a while…… 😯
Well NorCal, he did have a bit of a wild streak and was a little rash(er).
===
Dr F.
No problem, we have a rather large carpet in the execs boardroom where such matters can be convienently swept under.
It will never get back to us.
Yours evidence shredingly
H2H
Dr.z
Funny you mentioning brain-farts and Arsenal CBs in the same sentence.
I did exactly the same thing this morning. I’m wondering if it’s an Arsenal CB problem, a general CB problem or if Arsenal CBs need a bit more competition in the squad?
Arsene doesn’t seem to want to play Tommy V even though he’s fit. Much as I love Kos, his end of game brain-farts (followed by silly bemused expression) are becoming a trait. Are we just too harsh on our own?
Yes Kos gave him a push. Long made a meal of it. Kos can be too physical at times, esp in the box. Vermaelen was also giving up 2 or 3 free kicks in dangerous positions each game. I think Kos needs to be told that he can usher opponents out of danger areas without going into a full blooded challenge. Like the ferrel razorback he can be a bit rash. That needs to be tempered by the coaching staff.
Sure his name wasn’t Tarquinius coming from Richmond 😉
If Kos is guilty of brain farts, then Tommy V had full blown cranial diarrhea last term.
I know which one I’d rather have in there on recent form.
Cranial diarrhea. Shit for brains. I’ve seen it. It’s not pretty.
It’s not pretty indeed;
http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Media/Pix/pictures/2009/01/28/motd460.jpg
Whew…… I thought it was going to be a picture if me. 😉
224 H2H
More twats than in a copy of Dirty Fat Slags Monthly.
Hehs.
Thanks all. It’s there now >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>