When The Going Gets Tough…
Oct 22nd, 2013 by 'holic
So I got the scoreline right. Sadly my prediction was for a home win and not an away one. Unlike our last defeat on the opening day of the season there is some hope for where we go from here.
This was a proverbial game of two halves on the face of it, yet astonishingly we went in at half-time all square after being given something of a lesson for much of the opening period. After the break we took charge of the contest – and lost it to the sort of sucker punch we have delivered more than once this season.
From the off it has to be said that the visitors settled quickest and were impressive in their closing down of the Arsenal playmakers. Unable to put together any sustained pressure we not surprisingly fell behind when a rare Aaron Ramsey mistake allowed Mkhitaryan to plunder the opener. It was no more than our guests deserved in all honesty.
We had to wait until the final ten minutes of the half to register our first meaningful opportunities. After the excellent Tomas Rosicky was denied by a Hummels goal-line clearance we had our unlikely equaliser. Bacary Sagna provided the perfect cross to lure Weidenfeller from his line but Olivier Giroud nipped in front of the Dortmund ‘keeper to score.
That setback didn’t deter the excellent away support, and neither did a second-half in which we threatened to complete the job. The arrival of Santi Cazorla for Jack Wilshere, who looked to be carrying another ankle knock, gave us added impetus, and the little Spaniard all but gave us the lead with a superb effort that struck the crossbar. Yet for all that Arsenal pursued a winner there remained a doubt in the back of the mind. Dortmund are the Arsenal of Germany and as we have rope-a-doped teams this season, so the visitors did it to us.
Lewandowski, likely to be at Bayern next season but a serious target for us allegedly, volleyed home on a rare counter-attack from a Grosskreutz cross. Don’t try and say that too quickly. We had been well and truly mugged by an outstanding team, who remain the biggest domestic threat to the Bayern side that pipped them in the Final of this competition last season. There’s no shame in that as long as we learn the lesson. Being stretched defensively chasing a game where a point would have kept us clear atop the group was a tad naive, but so Arsenal.
With three teams now level on six points at the halfway stage we now need most definitely a win, or at least a couple of draws, from the away games in Dortmund and Napoli. It is tough, but we knew that when the draw put us in the most competitive group of them all. Our destiny is still in our own hands, which is a good thing.
The night confirmed just how important a player Mathieu Flamini has become for us. His work allows those around him to express themselves with a freedom that was lacking for long spells in this match. I don’t mind admitting I didn’t see that when he was signed again in the summer. I don’t mind admitting we probably could do with a back-up in the January window to perform that job when Flamini is out. Then we will see again the best of Mesut Ozil, Ramsey, Wilshere, Rosicky, and Cazorla.
We still have the best midfield on this side of the channel, but Dortmund have provided a blueprint to others how to minimise our effectiveness. The good thing for me is that they cannot exert that degree of pressure on the opposing creative forces for ninety minutes, week in and week out. We could well turn the tables in the reverse fixture. We have that quality.
205 Responses to “When The Going Gets Tough…”
Cheers
First!
Feck! Still, it’s the knockout stages! Well in Bath!
excellent, holic. exactly right, and given a little tighter ship we can definitely right it in dortmund. and it gives me good hope for the fixtures against manu, chavs, etc. in the coming weeks.
I agree entirely with your summing up Guv having returned from a soggy Emirates. It decided to rain at its hardest just as we left the ground. Dortmund are very good but looked very tired just before they scored.
I won’t be too negative because these type if games need to be looked at in context. Aside from the goal Sagna was very poor tonight going forward and lost Lewandoski for the winner. I thought Ramsey was too complicated in his work tonight. Arteta did well and Giroud strived manfully without an Arsenal player within twenty yards of him mist of the time. Ozil was too isolated on the right wing and didn’t influence the game enough. I would have liked to see young Gnabry on earlier. We lacked pace and cutting edge wide on the right.
But chins up its Palace next and that should lift our spirits
Nice summary Guvna. A very close run thing against an excellent side. Unlike our home defeats to Bayern and Schalke, we were not given the run around but we had to work hard to get the right to play and sadly it was just as we were finding space and beginning to pull their defence around that we succumbed to the sucker punch. We need to take 2-3 points from our away games and from the home game v Marseilles. This squad is capable of that.
Nice summary ‘h especially regarding BVB’s pressing, and our lack off, and Flamini’s importance!
Not a great result but the best time to learn a valuable lesson from one of the top five clubs in the whole of Europe!
The boys should now well and truly be grounded again!
Ozil is a truly intelligent footballer as he saw the problem with our creative attacking balance hence he started hugging the right wing in the second half after Santi’s addition to unbalance Dortmund and provide definitive width; it worked exactly the way Jack was supposed to have deployed the tactic.
Against the big boys, you really have to earn the rite to play both when you have the ball and when you don’t! No passengers can be accepted. That’s what the German sides do so much better than all others which is why they’re the best in Europe at this time.
Unlike some, i don’t think Arteta played at all well. He was too slow on the ball and too slow-of-foot to give our back-four an outlet which is why we were hemmed in throughout the first 60 mins or so till Santi came on to assist.
Hopefully a very valuable lesson has been learnt tonight for the remaining CL matches and for the EPL – “be mature in your style of play and recognise where you need to improve during your under-par matches in order to get the maximum result. COYBG! It’s still all on!
A nightcap for all! Bring on Palace! Goodnight!
Well lesson learned, was beginning to boss the game and then we got sucker punched. I guess you win some you lose some. Go gunners!!!!!!!
What a soaking that was – the route bavk to finsbury & to our qualy hopes. You cant fault losing to the second best team in europe, a draw would have been fair but a oavk of chances created was the key failing for me. when will Wenger learn that Wilshere is not a winger…we lacked width in the first half it allowed Dortmund to play a high line and press like demons. the positives were how we turnex over territorial control after the 55min mark. Flamini was a miss but that is quite a telling matter to miss just one player. Getting out of the group will be a struggle now but as i claimed weeks back, we are the third best side in the group so 6 points thus far is more than i had expected to this juncture. i stiill maintain if the side gets 10points that will be a fabtastic achievement.
Cheers H,
A balanced review. Let’s learn and bounce back. The season did not start nor end tonight.
If you could please send H2H my email address. We have some business to discuss. 😉 A Northern California to Holland exchange if you will.
Thx
Could have gone either way I reckon. Let’s learn from it and get them in Germany!
UTA
Sorry for typos , i blame the smartphone. a lot of fans on the train back were critical of ozil tonight, methinks such views are fully merited. Risicky was fantastic, ozil went missing for large parts by way of a comparison
1-2 us in the away leg and they may well look the better team, this group looks like going the distance – I for one am glad we won’t play them in the last 15 assuming we make it.
16 even…
Ozil was quiet in the first half when playing on the left (as was Gibbs) but he was taking the left side of their defence apart in the second. TR7 buzzed all game. Jack had a mare. Rambo looked knackered. HFB worked his socks off and deserved his goal. Santi made a huge difference. Arteta did a reasonable job.
Their pressing in the first half and early second made the outball from deep very difficult and we took a while to cope – probably when their energy levels dropped to be fair was when we began to look good. Pity they had the energy to break as effectively as they did with 10 to go.
Sadly Bac’s legs aren’t taking him up and down as effectively as they did.
Northern California-Holland “exchange”? Let’s hope this “above board” business profits the Arsenal. 😉
Thanks for the summary ‘holic.
I missed a great chunk of the first half and what I saw of the second was on a pretty dodgy stream, although what I saw gave me the impression that we were the better team (2nd half).
I saw their goal, I knew it was going in the moment it left the guy who crossed it’s boot, a wicked counter attack, a tip of the hat for that to them, but I still think we’ll give them a game in the away leg. I’m not worried in the slightest about the other two teams though.
How we as a team, and fans react to this result is extreamly important. The lds need to put it behind them and we need to get behind them, next up Palace, three points and keep our advantage at the summit.
UTA.
NorCal.
I’ll be waiting for that e-mail. 🙂
Excellent perspective ‘holic. You keep me on an even keel. 🙂
Great summary Guvnor.
Just back from the game. Hugely impressed by the organisation of the visitors. They were hunting in packs, trying to close down every move in twos and threes. And even then I think we were good value for at least a point, if not more, because we were still doing well trying to push through. When Santi’s shot hit the woodwork it did seem like it was going to be one of ‘those’ days, and so it proved. A shame, certainly, but not much more.
Even more disappointed that I shall not be going to the return leg as I think we can still get the measure of this lot, as good as they are.
It aint as bad as it seems still plenty to look forward too!
Ah well…two pretty evenly matched sides, and could have ended with your chosen scoreline, ‘holic. Three clear chances for the Arsenal, one goes in; their only two clear chances both go in, with Grosskreutz making one good cross out of many of his rubbish ones count. If anything, you’d have to give BvB an edge in strength and speed/quickness, which they exploited in the end.
And the one player really needed this evening was Theo. Here’s hoping he can somehow make it to the return leg.
OK, shrug it off, back to work at Selhurst. AW used the “j” word — jaded — afterwards, so what and how many changes would you introduce? You could go with the wholesale changes, with Nacho and Jenkinson in for both fullbacks and TV in for one center back; rest all three of Wilshere, Ramsey, and Ozil, and go with midfield/wing five of Flamini, Arteta, Rosicky, Santi and Gnabry; but still have Giroud lead the line. But that may be too much…any suggestions?
Defended too deep in the first half when we lost the first one! Then we only strated to play the real game……………..
Nice write up Holic. Lots of good posts as well. I think most of us watched the same game.
For vast chunks of the first half we just did not get going. We were slow and sluggish all over the pitch. Dortmund pressed us well and just seemed sharper to me. I cant remember who it was but someone in the last set of drinks said it was like our game against Barca a few years ago. I think that is spot on. The second half was better and full of effort. A bit more luck and we may have taken the lead. In the end we were caught out by a lightening break. A break when four defenders managed to get back to defend but no one else seemed to manage it. It was a disappointing result but one we will have to reverse in the very near future.
I do think that today we did get found out a bit. We do have some wonderful midfield talent but today we played five players who all want to play central and all want to play in advanced roles. That requires all of them to be disciplined. The success that has been Flamini has for me highlighted something we have been missing for several years. His absence this evening only went to reinforce that for me. His tenacity and leadership for me means that we do not concede the first goal. I do not think he would have allowed the second to happen either. We also missed my old favourite that is width. We lacked pace in wide areas and struggled to stretch the play. That I think made it all too easy to snuff out any potential threat. It was a game of few chances but only two on target at home is unlikely to win a the match.
Make no mistake, Dortmund are an excellent side. They are an excellent club and in fairness their fans were top drawer again tonight. Hope that we managed to extend some of our traditional hospitality to the likes of Reus and Lewondowski. Personally I would happily welcome both at the Grove.
As if the gods really weren’t shining on us we all got drenched on the way back to the station. Not a great end to the day I must say. But halfway through we are still top of the group. I think we need to hope that Marseille offer something at Napoli and we will need points away from home. I am not confident about Marseille in the slightest but I am happy with our chances.
A final word for our support. I thought we were great tonight. Even when we we losing the atmosphere was always positive and always vocal.
Palace here we come.
In the second we dominated but chances went astray…….
It got punished in a way, however lets not drop heads lads!
We will bounce back!
Bedtime.
Feel shattered. It’s been a long day.
When the going gets tough … just head to this bar! 🙂 Holic, agree with you on Mathieu, whole heartedly. I am however, not as smitten by Dortmund as you and some of the other holics, are. 😉 Touch wood we get our Theo back in time. Boy oh boy, Dortmund gonna be real sorry then!!!
What’s with all this sensible reaction to such a languid performance?
Ozil’s rubbish. Wanga awt! 😉
BMBD
Steve T it is no wonder you are shattered. Our lack of width was plain as day. 😉
Just in, sad to say we were slow out of the blocks and never got going in the first half. I agree with Holics summary and Snowy’s comment regarding the German’s hunting in packs.
I am sure the Flams would have made a difference, particularly where their first goal was concerned and in the effort to win the game we got caught on the break. Perhaps we should have played out for a draw but the team was not prepared to settle for a point.
Dortmund were a very big, athletic, pacey side and our lack of width and pace didn’t help our cause. If Feo and the Flams are available for the return game we might be able to turn the tables on a very fine German side.
Disappointed but not disheartened.
As always COYRs
@ 31 (I know the numbers will change – poof!)
From your comment, I think we can see the amateur.
BMBD
Tactically Dortmund was very good in the first half. Strong midfield pressing from the start to prevent our passing game getting going, and keeping the play compact and central so, though there was space wide, our wide forward midfielders were isolated without having the pace to exploit the space. At the same time both Gibbs and Sagna were kept pegged back much of the time. Second half they dropped the intensity of the pressing and played deeper, containing football, hoping that they could knick a second goal on the counter. As indeed they did. I disagree that we were naive in not playing for a draw as the game progressed. The benefit of a win outweighed the cost of losing so was worth going for; a win would have all but sewn up the group; with the loss it is still wide open. And I am not sure this team could batten down the hatches for a long period against that class of opposition and without Flamini, whose absence has been commented upon in so many drinks.
Re: Bayonne Jean @23. Bendtner?
Delia and others above: I think you are right that Theo would make a difference. Many of the goals Dortmund concedes come from the opposition getting a fast player into the space behind their high defensive line, either by quickly switching the side of the attack with a long diagonal through ball or putting it over the top down the middle. Even when the intensity of Dortmund’s pressing drops in the second half, they usually tend to keep a high defensive line. To my eye, it seemed they played deeper than usual in the second half today, perhaps fearful we still had the speed to get into the space behind their back four.
I am surprised to see no comments regarding the poor game from Wilshire. I thought he gave the ball away virtually every time he touched it and created lots of ball for the opposition.
he looked out of his depth tonight and we looked a much lesser side without flamini.
Dortmund simply applied heaps of pressure on our midfield and we did not sting too many passes togeather for the entire match. that is the difference between top class sides and most in the epl.
ramsey and arteta were found to be too slow on the ball against this type of hardworking side.
but for me Wilshire added very little and tried to be too tricky and failed during his time on the pitch.
In the last drinks I was pretty negative about our lack of ambition in this game, but that doesn’t mean I see Dortmund as better than us … just that they were smarter on the night. A bit of luck and we could have been the equally undeserved winners.
But that still wouldn’t have excused such a lethargic performance. You’re supposed to win home games in the CL and Arsenal rarely do that waiting for teams like Dortmund to gift them victory. We are at our best when attacking in numbers, not sitting back with huge gaps between midfield and lone striker OG.
Hopefully tonight was a wake-up call not a requiem and we will come back stronger in the remaining games. We should still qualify, but a win at home against Marseilles is now essential and the right results away to Dortmund and Napoli likewise. This far from an ideal situation and not the way it should have been. Still, if we cannot do it we have no right to expect to progress far in the comp anyway.
‘Holic … It wasn’t OG nipping in front of Weidenfeller that led to our goal, it was a defender who got there first to deflect the ball around his keeper. Fortunately OG stayed on his feet to put it away. At least, that is how I saw it!
Öskar
Regnew … your nick isn’t the only thing backward about you…
Öskar
No width. No width. No width. Without Poldi , Theo and Ox, I dont see it happening either.
I said it in norwich match once flamini left the field we. Lost that physical presence ramsay and wilshere lack discipline to play there. They are great going forward but poor without the ball. Wilshere is not a wide player therefore wenger should allow is young wide players to grow while walcott is out because this cost us the game, did not have that outlet therefore with 5 central midfielders out mIddle was always congested Making us easier to break down. Arteta movement was too slow we needed more energy in that part of the field we need to sort that area in the transfer market soon. Flamini will also soon be suspended with yellow card accumulation
So we must be careful with th 5 match coming
Why is no one talking about the goal that wasn’t given? I’ve seen it 10 times and I couldn’t spot a foul on any Dortmund player.
Ruelando, I don’t think the problem was so much that we lacked wide players as we lacked wide players with the pace and instinct to get behind the Dortmund back four by running onto through balls. The way Dortmund press the midfield as a unit and hold a high defensive line compacts the game in the center of the field while their strikers try to pin back the opposing full-backs to stop them moving up the wings into the space that is available. That leaves the opposition’s wide advanced midfielders isolated, unable to work short passing triangles or to hit long passes to switch the play. Having Santi or Ozil or Jack wide swinging a 40 metre diagonal through ball for Theo to run on to is one thing. Doing the same when Santi or Ozil or Jack is on the other end of it is something else. One reason that Bayern Munich was so successful against Dortmund last season was that they had Robben and Ribery to dart behind the Dortmund defence.
It seems that every time we lost a match, new faces (like regnew) coming here to belittle our team and players. Maybe they wait for such a long time that they are escastic that we lost and jump in the first chance to criticse us.
BVB cannot push us for 90 minutes, so that is why we are not having the space in the first half and when they are tired in the second half , we take control of the game. Unfortunately, we lost due to their only real chance in the second half. Any team can pushes us to deny us fluidity, the main point is for how long they can do it before they are tired out.
There are lots of individual mistakes (Ramsey of the first goal, Gibbs indecision and Sagna lost Lewan of the second goal), but no one will play the whole season without making a single mistakes. So I think this is one of those game that we are punished. I still have full confidence in all of them.
It is easy to conclude we lost because we are without flamini and stress his importance. I want to disagree. Flamini is a player who like to sit ahead of the back four and player slightly behind Arteta. If Ramsey is instructed to observe positional discipline, I think the second goal can be avoided. Since Aaron is naturally a more forward player, so we are exposed by their fast break.
Football is a game of slim margin. Like other said in previous drink, we can be the unworthy winner too as BVB. A draw should be fair result. So I tend not to read too much into this game and to call for heads of Ramsey,Sagna, wilshere, Ozil, Arteta etc. We just cannot win every match. Just hope that this will not cost us dearly.
COYG.
Cheers Holic. Terrible smell in here. Place needs fumigating. Badly.
He’ll get the message one day Esso. If he doesn’t seek help for his problem soon someone will have the pathetic sod committed.
Sad aint the word mate. Shame you have to waste valuable minutes of your life cleaning up the slime.
Sounds like big yin had a blast last night. Good stuff.
You know they say, you only become hated when you’re successful 😉
Let’s face it, so far this season I think we’ve done well considering we have had so many out and/or returning from injury. This won’t be the last time we drop points this season so I’m not about to throw my toys out of the pram. I sold my pram last year anyway.
As for getting to the round of 16, we get 10 points (a win and a draw) or more and we should be through. Get two more wins and we could top the group. I believe we can get at Dortmund next time we play them and get a win against either Marseille or Napoli so all is not lost.
UTA
Here’s what another Trini has to say 🙂
http://youtu.be/c_e2D2qsaso
I find it incredible that people don’t see that the fact that we sit back is not laziness or lethargic or soft or whatever but rather a tactical decision to make us more of a counter attacking team.
Why is that so difficult for people to understand?
First? oh. Onwards and upwards.
Snir. If it is a tactical option then why play with no width and no pace?
I don’t think we were lazy at all . We worked very hard . But we did not try and play on the counter last night . We were simply beaten by a better side. We have had a good start to the season but I would suggest that we are very much still a work in progress. Don’t lose sight of what a top side Dortmund are though. They would have beaten most sides in the prem last night.
Steve, I’m not. I rate Dortmund as the second best side in Europe after Bayern.
But, they were not the better side on the night last night in my opinion.
We restricted them to shots from distance and gifted them two goals.
The second goal is not on Sagna, but on Gibbs. Gibbs should have let Aubameyang go and run with the runner who was Grosskreutz. Had he done that we would have been able to stop the cross.
That is in the case that Grosskreutz does get the pass. If he doesn’t then Arteta or Koscielny would get drawn to the player with the ball and woulda dealt with the danger.
Steve – I think we do have pace in our ranks. Ozil, Ramsey, and Wilshere are all quick. They might not be the fastest but they are fast. Just look at the turn of pace by Ozil to get the second goal on Saturday or the run on his debut to set Giroud up.
As for width, we have two players out that provide us width (Theo and Chambo). Most sides in Europe have inverted wingers and have the defenders provide the width when the wingers drift inside. We certainly had Sagna and Gibbs pushing up and providing width. In fact, that was our downfall and caused the second goal.
Steve: I’m honestly not sure they actually were better than us overall. They restricted us to two shots on goal (plus the Cazorla one off the bar, that doesn’t count as a shot on target in the official stats if I am not mistaken) but then we also restricted them to two shots but they scored from both. They pressed us really hard, but there was no way they were going to have the stamina to do that for 90 minutes and it could have gone either way. The disallowed goal we scored could just as well have been given, not saying the ref got it wrong but it was a 50/50 call as I saw it and we have certainly seen situations like that being let go. Having said that, it did look like the Dortmund defender stopped playing before Ramsey shot so there are of course no guarantees it would have been a goal if play had been allowed to go on.
Anyway, nothing much we can do about it at this point but pick ourselves up again for Saturday. But I suspect a few players might need a bit of a breather, I suspect Jack won’t start and we may very well see Bendtner start up top to give Giroud some rest.
I don’t think either Ramsey or Wilshire are blessed with real pace. Certainly not the pace that launches stinging counter attacks against the likes of Dortmund. We miss Theo and The Ox for pace. In hindsight it would have been nice to have seen Serge on earlier, but hindsight is a wonderful thing.
Re the width, for me Sagna is struggling at the moment. I am not sure if it is all catching up with him but against good teams I do worry. His cross for the goal last night I thought was poor. It was only because the keeper and defender conspired to fuck up that we scored. It looked to me a ball the keeper should and would expect to deal with.
Top report ‘H. Thank you.
Disappointing result ultimately but Dortmund are a good side and the game could easily have gone the other way. Had Santi’s marvellous effort crept in…
Flamini was a big miss. Hope he’s back for the wknd.
Onwards and upwards.
This was Gegenpressing at its absolute best.
Reus on Sagna, Kuba on Gibbs, Mkhtariyan on Arteta, and Lewandowski on the CBs forcing them to pass back to Woj for the punt upfield. Each player would be joined by an additional player when the opportunity was right, which is basically the point of Gegenpressing.
They did however tire as the game went on.
What gives me the most encouragement is that we restricted them to shots from distance when they tried to build attacks (and at times even when they countered).
Our back four and two deep MFs can thwart them and restrict them to long shots, which in turn would give us a chance to break and nick a goal in Germany.
Lars. In the second half, with the exception of the Santi effort I could not see us scoring. The hunting in packs analogy is very accurate in my opinion. At times we were just bullied out of it.
Dortmund in my opinion were happy with a point. I agree with Arsene in the fact that we were a tad niaive in the end. We should have made sure that we did not lose the game.
But we will learn.
What tabs said, excellent report ‘H
After the disappointment of the result, I think there are many positives to take form the game….
We have played worse this season and won.
We were their equal all around the park and they are a quality team, like us.
We have every chance of reversing the result in Dortmund.
I though that was Giroud’s best game in the shirt. The improvements that he (and Ramsey) have made this season are remarkable.
Great to see Santi back on form. I’m sure he’s going to provide a clutch of goals for us this season.
We have a perfect opportunity to bounce right back this weekend and unleash retaliatory Wengerball on The Eagles this Saturday.
COYRRRs!
Courage mes braves.
We are the Arsenal….
bouncebackability indeed, TS!
bouncebackability indeed, TS!
Bad result. But hopefully it reminds the players to stay grounded despite the media building us up.
Noticed to my dismay how badly we started the second half despite us finishing the first stronger. Perhaps our players noticed the german team tiring and went for the kill. They withdrew their tiring players and freshened up.
For all our midfield options we had no one to accept the ball from the defense forcing our center backs and goalie to hoof up field only for us to lose possession. and on a night when we needed to keep possession of the ball that was criminal. Looks like Arses needs to do a lot of analysis from last night.
Hopefully the players are hurting as are the fans and they will get it right next time.
Just been on the BBC website and saw a positive piece about the Arsenal written by Phil McNulty with no backhanded compliments or snarky weasel words. He win money off the result or what? 🙂
Great post Holic, I didn’t see the game or any highlights. I have only read match reports, but it seems we had our chances and that perhaps lewandowski should have been sent off for an elbow to Kos before his goal? It’s only what I have read!
We were always going to lose a game or two somewhere down the line, it just bothers me now that people will say we have had a ‘proper’ challenge and lost! I still believe we have a good enough team to win the league and beat big name oppositions.
We were the only team to beat Bayern at their place last season. And we have got better since then. We can’t win every game, but we can learn and improve.
Cheers,
Oh Holic I’ve been meaning to ask, did Impressive Failiage ever meet up with you after the Norwhich game?
Arse End, it was a clear elbow and he could arguably had been sent off. Not entirely sure it was deliberate, but it was a 50/50 call and I don’t think he could have had too many complaints had he been sent off but at the same time you could argue that it was equally correct not to send him off, so… oh, look at this pretty little fence I am sitting on 🙂
Hehs! @ Ollie, Ollie & Lars
Cannons – Yes, I thought the BBC were being unusually fair this morning in the analysis of our match. Long may it be agenda free.
Retaliatory Wengerball.
I like the sound of that. 🙂
The kind of thing that makes my morning coffee taste better.
Afternoon gents.
Some good stuff above.
CoR, I read that McNumpty piece, far too balanced, he must be ill.
Re: deepakyen @41. Watching the replay on TV I think it was a foul on Koscielny who was standing between Per and the defender and giving the defender a push so Per could jump up behind hm.
Just got an e-mail from NorCal and he’s done the business.
I’ll be joining him and young Wind at the HOF for the Southampton game, result!!!!
I’d like to publicly thank NorCal for his efforts, he was at it untill 04:30 (his local time) to secure the tickets, Wind for the suggestion, Lars for use of his card, zico and bearded for the offer and last but not least the guvnor for the hook up and making this all possible due to this wonderful site.
Hope to see many of you there.
I can’t wait!!!
*typed with a teary eye
Holland2Holloway it seems then? 🙂
8 Ball – A rare treat for me to hear that I might have made something taste better.
Hasn’t the Soton game been moved to the Sunday? I think it is the 4 pm on Sky?????
Steve, no it hasn’t. But the Everton game in December has.
Only joking H2H.
😀
Indeed 8Ball 🙂
===
Heh Steve….
I had to change my underwear before replying. 😉
Bt8B @ 34: Bendtner at Selhurst to start? No to that; Giroud is so indispensable at this juncture that removing him from the mix would be damaging. And Palace is the kind of banana skin that Arsenal can’t afford to slip up on, and by making wholesale changes in midfield and up front, you spend a good part of the match in getting-to-know-you mode. With that in mind, perhaps keeping Wilshere in the starting side and playing him more centrally in preferred position, with Santi and Rosicky left and right, would be the best combination, with Arteta and Flamini in support.
I’d also like to see Flamini pull a Christiano Ronaldo and get a late yellow card so he’s ruled out of COC, which he won’t play in anyway.
One last thought re Ozil: in La Liga, he rarely played a full 90. As great as he is, getting used to the relative warp speed and physicality of the premiership means he may have to have his minutes carefully monitored. And that’s why they pay AW the big pounds…
Bayonne
A little bit the rotation vs Palace would seem to make sense. I’m going to guess that LJW will not be risked based on his ankle knack yesterday but that The Flame will be back and snarling to go.
Change of underwear H2H? Is it your birthday? 😉
Hi holics,
Did anyone observe that the ref blew both the half time and the full time whistles around 45 seconds earlier than the allotted added time?
The match itself could have gone either way – They sucker punched us, we will do the same to them in Dortmund
And I absolutely hate it when our fans criticize us on twatter during the game. I mean, we were playing last season’s finalists – of course we are going to find it tough to play like we usually do
This when we were still 0-0. It’s a football game, at least wait for 90 mins until passing your judgement
Totally agree with Snir about the Gibbs Re: their goal. But, small margins and I know we will improve
End of rant
Bayonne: I think for the Palace game the rotation would be minimal, there would be a whole sale set of changes for the League Cup where we should play, IMHO, the kind of line-up we used against WBA. I know Jose would put on a good team but if our kids lose against them so be it, we cannot risk fatigue or injury in League Cup given the run of games coming along.
I don’t think Jack or Rambo should play this weekend, I may be proven wrong but I think they are both showing signs that a little break would do them good, especially Rambo who has been playing non-stop for us and Wales.
The problem is TR7 too probably cannot play two games in 4-5 days, so even if he starts he will most like play for 60 odd minutes irrespective of the game situation. My predicted line-up against Palace:
Szcz; Sagna-Per-Kos-Gibbo; Flamini-Arteta-Ozil; Santi-Giroud-TR7
Ozil and TR7 to get early breaks and if we are leading handsomely Nacho to come in and slot in the left as Santi moves inside and Rambo to cover for TR7. If we are chasing goals Gnabry to get a chance.
We have now really started to miss the injured wingers.
Cheers H2H. Great to hear you are all sorted for what sounds like an epic day! And great job NorCal on putting in quite a shift.
I don’t want to see any rotation at Palace. Whatever Le Boss considers his current strongest side should start that game. Time is rotating is next Tuesday, I reckon.
That’s obviously -is + for in above post.
“Holic
A quick word re the Norwich game — I did several circuits of the Tollie (which as you know is easier said than done!) in an effort to find you,shake your hand, and hand you the pint of Guiness I had bought you.
I will probably not return to blighty so have missed my chance to thank you personally for all the pleasure your blog has given me over the years.
I return to NZ on friday and once again to 3am kick offs!
So sorry to have missed you!
Keep the faith
Agree with all the above re: rotation. Play a strong XI at the weekend, rest players in the league cup.
The only exception I’d make would be Gnabry – I think it would be a good opportunity to experience with getting some width and pace down one of the flanks (could be essential in Dortmund), and Jack and Rambo could each do with a rest.
Szcz, Bac, Per, Kos, Gibbo, Flamini, Arteta, Ozil, Santi, Gnabry, Giroud.
Prem has to be the priority this season.
Sorry – “experiment”, rather than “experience”. Long day.
Palace have just released a statement that they’ll be holding a press con at 5.30pm. That’ll be Holloway sacked then.
It’ll be a new sponsor for Chamakh’s hair products, N7.
Heh
BBC reporting that Holloway has left Palace.
Heh @ TS.
So then – we need to watch out for the dead cat bounce this weekend.
Would have preferred Holloway to remain for one more game, but then you can’t have everything.
Good call N7 @90 with TGSTEL poised to give HFB a break if we are sorted by 60.
‘holic – Just a quick note to tell you, if you don’t already know, that Feelgood guitarist Gypie Mayo (who I think replaced Wilko?) has passed away this morning.
Get in
Slides into the corner flag and sustains groin injury, jeopardising future career in Chippendales.
Chippendales ?
A store in Bath ? 😉
Heh TS @83. It was a shock to the system, I can tell ya. 😉
Bheers Bearded.
Well in Bath.
*Cheers
A shower Trev.
Bheers must be Nederlandisch?
City concede in Moscow
What? Only 30 minutes of an opportunity for tgswel to bag another hat trick? That should concentrate the nordic man’s icy blood.
..and Aguero equalizes. I am reaching Olliesque levels of Jinxing
I never really understood why chairmen get rid of the managers that win their clubs promotion, I mean, what do they expect?
Yes Holloway maybe as mad as a box of frogs, but he did well to get them up in the first place, via the play offs no less. Add to that they sold their best player to Manure and have a championship level squad then I don’t really think anyone would really fare much better.
Bheers ? Cheers. 😉
Heh Bath.
Ask Scteve Maclaren, he is a master in that languauge.
By getting palace promoted holloway guaranteed them more than £100 million. I hope they remember that when considering his payoff.
I think it’s “Bheers Ceers”. First “h” silent, second implied. Dutch is a very trivky languhage.
As H2H said, tickets sorted. I don’t much care for our box office website. I sat in a virtual queue for over 30 minutes only for it then to have an epileptic fit. As I was dialing the phone number it finally stopped seizing and allowed me to get back in line. I was also trying to get in line with my phone but it was seizing too so I am guessing it was not my computer. Anyway, was able to get three seats together in (way) upper North Bank. Hope we can see the far end of the field. Very excited. Now I have to visit the box office again in a few days to get a ticket for marseille. Fingers crossed.
Cheers all.
Oh, I think Chelski will rotate quite a few for our game as well since they are playing citeh on Sunday.
Fair review holic, enjoyed all arguments & was about asking a question before it was raised in drink 41.
With respect to the game, I honestly think it was a balanced contest -they had their chances, likewise us. We lacked a real winger, we must accept that & Flam too.
I noticed something they did last night -marking Özil out for longer spells. I think that is something we can start doing too. Read the game & do a man marking on their main threat. I think the last time we did that was against Barca the last time they visited the grove. What do you think holics?
Secondly, we can play a 4-4-2 with the kind of players we have now instead of sticking to time 4-2-3-1 pending when the winger return to the side.
89 Impressive Failage
looks like you lived up to your name.
By the way I’ve spotted where you went wrong
” I did several circuits of the Tollie”
In the Tollie you don’t do circuits
If you’d done a round I’m sure it would have ended more successfully;)
High in the North Bank!?
Sounds about right. 😎
Hi everyone. ‘Holland to Holloway’, brilliant! Terribly excited for you chaps 🙂
Imp. Fail., Oh dear! Feel for you buddy 🙁
Now here’s a riddle. Is it easier to score or to defend? This has to do with the timing of substitutions 😉
@ 117
Moi aussi
Heh @ washed up
Good discussion on rotation for Palace, but no mention of any changes in the backline. If you had to make just one change out of Sagna, Gibbs, or BFG/Kos, who would you select? One change AW could consider is give Nacho a good bit of time in the second half and move Gibbs up to the left wing, game situation permitting.
Names being mentioned to take over from Holloway are O’Neill, Warnock, Pubis….which of these is the least execrable? (We already know who the MOST loathsome is…)
I would be inclined to rest Bac and Gibbsy – give Corporal Jenks and Nacho a run out.
Thanks Nursie.
===
I’d expect nothing less, zico/
===
As for the rotation, I’d want AW to field our strongest team on Saturday, give Palace a good old fashioned stuffing to regain confidence and let the kids and fringe players give it a go against the Chavs.
Article in today’s FT. With the amalgamation of Norcal & H2H (to be joined together at the North Bank and consummated afterwards at the Tollie), it opens up the possibility of the Feelgood Foundation making them an offer they can’t refuse for sole marketing rights for all of the new joint company’s enriched products, thus being able to make redundant all research and production staff – further enhancing the profits of said organization. 🙂
I’ll take that as an offer for Beers H2H so ceers for that
Heh, chin chin Bearded. 😉
Uply
Feelgood made me an offer I couldn’t understand……
I still took it though.
I’d go with Bath @122, and rest the full backs. Sagna looked tired last night and Dortmund had far too much room on Gibbs’ wing all night.
Some of that was down to lack of support but, after a superb season to date, Gibbs was caught far too narrow too much of the time. We were lucky several times in the first half that Grosskreuz was unable to find a decent shot or final ball, but Gibbs never looked like catching him for the cross that led to their second goal.
Not blaming Gibbs – he just looked a little under par last night and reverted to his old habit of turning inside and playing the backwards pass, rather than the runs he has been making of late down the left wing.
One obvious factor was the absence of Flamini whose backup work has been such a plus so far. He was sorely missed last night.
Whether it was due to fatigue or caution, I thought the first half performance last night was generally well below our recent par. It was a throwback to the square and backwards passing when we were pressed, that gradually drove us deeper and deeper. The ball was moved far too slowly which is not good when you’re being pressed so intensively. Even if the idea was to make Dortmund run themselves out, it resulted in us surrendering the initiative.
For twenty minutes in the second half we looked the only likely winners as Dortmund tired and dropped back. Leaving Grosskreuz one final chance to get a telling cross in, and Lewandowski as much room as any striker could wish for, peoved our undoing.
A great shame because the second half proved that we could beat them.
Greater defensive discipline will be required in Germany to turn that into reality. We are short of any real width to stretch their defence too.
As Theo has Threeweekitis, it may be time to warm up our own young German to put on a show in his homeland.
And if anyone going to Dortmund could disable that sodding drum …….
much obliged 😉
Peoved = proved
So not a pun there, Trev 129 😉
Oh, and while walking across the South bridge from Drayton Park towards the stadium with my nine year old daughter, about eight Dortmund fans, exercising their hilarious German slapstick sense of humour, ran up to us and screamed in my face.
If anyone fancies returning the favour over there …….. much obliged again. 😉
By the time I span round last night to offer them the pleasure of my German language skills, they had run off.
Pun free, Ollie.
A rare serious attempt to say something about the game. Usually best left to others who can actually remember it. 😉
German sense of humour Trev? Das stimmt nicht.
I was peoved that they scored too. A draw would have Proved a fitting result.
Let’s hope crystal palace is still in disarray this weekend. Even if they are not we should comfortably spank them. That’s for you Wolfie.
haha Trev
And those sweet relatives of Goethe, Bach and Beethoven undertook a bit of redecorating at the Emirates too.
http://ladyarse.co.uk/2013/10/dortmund-fans-rip-row-seats-emirates-photo/?
Grosse Wankers !
Those funny old sitzeausrippenden deutsche Dummköpfe. 😉
Unsurprising I suppose that they have their mindless thugs as well.
vorsprung durch thugs
Watched (bits of) the Real v Juve game.
Benzema has lost the plot, Bale……MEH
H2H, Benzema has lost the plot long time ago. Worth to remember that when Real will try to offload him in January for 20+ mill., considering Arsene is (was?) a big fan.
Anyway, I’ve watched Madrid vs. Juve game too, and came to two conclusions.
First is that we will eat both of them for breakfast if we are lucky enough to play with any of them this year.
As for the second conclusion, based on the his acting abilities, I tried to find more about that chap Ronaldo on IMDB, but there is no actor with that name/surname in their database. Considering we are talking about class acting in his case, I think that certain IMDB editors should be sacked for such an omission.
Anyone fancy loving Ollie Giroud a little bit more?
https://twitter.com/krissford/status/393080645729419264
United’s singing section is a great idea.
It would really improve the atmosphere at the Ems if we were to incorporate such a thing.
Nursie. I looked up your riddle in wikipedia but didn’t find it listed. Oh well. 😉
Cynic, thank you.
IF, sorry i missed you, I was in the beer garden nearest Holloway Road throughout, and usually am. Apologies, I like Guinness 😉
Trev, Python knew how hard it was to insult the Germans. Try calling their Mercedes, Volkswagens.
H2H – Apparently your namesake left Palace and he wasn’t pushed. Now Pooless is being linked as a possible replacement. Hopefully he’ll take the job, sign-up Lenny & Co. in January and still get relegated.
With the run of form we were on before the Dortmund game, you’d be forgiven for thinking that we could beat anyone in the world at ease, but with different levels of opposition, come different challenges, and you don’t get much higher than the losing finalists of last year’s competition.
The game was tough, and either side could have won, but it’s a shame it was them. I was heartened to see Ramsey try to rectify his mistake that lead to the 1st goal instantly, and that Giroud got a goal to his name (good for the confidence, he had been a bit barren before Tuesday) but their goal was a true sucker punch, I was left with my mouth agape and my head in my hands.
There were more positives; Rosicky’s volley that was cleared off the line and Cazorla’s shot that hit the crossbar, on another night could have ended up nestled in the back of the net, granting the Holic pound another landing but c’est la vie. We move onwards to the Palace game and I’m hoping for a good performance, one strong enough to earn all three points 🙂
So H2H and NorCal, the three of us will be sitting in the North Bank Upper eh?
I love the North Bank, I probably hold the most affection for it out of all four areas of the Emirates because it’s where I saw my first Arsenal game from, a return to it for me is always welcome 🙂
And on that note, I’d like to publicly thank you as well NorCal for the time and effort you put into getting our tickets, and the patience you showed in the queue. I hope the game and experience is extremely special for you and H2H, hell for all three of us 🙂
@72: H2H, it was unreal wasn’t it? I don’t know why I read it, because I stopped reading his shite a few years ago, but it’s almost as if someone else wrote it.
Btw, I just remembered that the first time we crossed paths was throwing insults at that pathetic Evertonian, years before I even knew about this bar!
Good times 8)
We’ll see the Palace players’ response soon enough but I can’t think it would be particularly motivating to see my manager resign in midweek and say stuff like this about the players:
“I have to hold my hands up and say we didn’t keep the spirit that got us up. We changed too much too quickly.
“I didn’t value enough the spirit of the group that helped us get to the Premier League.
“Some of the new lads, their attitude and where it is, I’m finding it slightly annoying and that isn’t right.”
– See more at: http://www.cityam.com/article/1382573933/holloway-departs-and-tells-palace-hire-pricier-boss#sthash.LL9D7qkU.dpuf
Snir@144: I find it a bit sickening that ManU are being credited for being some sort of pioneers for wanting a standing section at their ground. They have been against it for years while many other clubs have openly expressed support (particularly Aston Villa, but also Arsenal on several occasions) for allowing safe standing. Iirc, a year or two ago Villa even applied for permission to try it in a small section at Villa Park to evaluate and develop the concept. In any case Gazidis said as late as this past summer that if it was to be allowed then it would be introduced at the Emirates.
Lars – I don’t really care who gets the credit for it.
As long as it goes ahead.
I’ve decided that it’s time I stop writing atmosphere posts here and do something about it, so we’ll see what comes of it.
Anyone that’s on Twitter, #AskHarry is worth a morning read… 😆
You saw it exactly as I did from my seat above the Dortmund faithful. I ears are still ringing. Great atmosphere in the ground, some superb stuff from both teams. I thought that Santi’s arrival was going to turn things to a home win, but that wasn’t to be. I’m optimistic regarding the away game and I’m looking forward to my first visit to Dortmund.
@ 124. Joint company?
Merely a franchise…..
Heh @ 127
Afternoon.
TS, yeah, it looks like he decided to leave of his own accord, or that’s what they’re making it look like. He never seemed like the type to walk away from a problem to me, maybe he’s just falling on his sword to appease the higher ups, A nice severence package, thank you and byedy bye. But what do I know!?
Is this the dawning of Crystal Pulis…..yucky.
Afternoon all,
Fancy listening to more ‘holic nonsense. Out today the latest Gunners Down Under podcast, which we recorded prior to the Dortmund match on Tuesday.
http://gunnersdownunder.podomatic.com/
You will have to listen right to the end for an Ashes preview 😉
Thanks to Matty and BFG for a fun hour or so.
It’s going to be epic, Wind.
Littler Jack Wilshere;
http://metro.co.uk/2013/10/22/footage-released-of-arsenals-jack-wilshere-in-action-as-a-kid-video-4156155/
Love OG. What a workhorse he is. Long may he prosper, and long may he continue to fuck Man Utd.
My thoughts on the Dortmund loss…I felt that without our wide players, all our play was initially through the middle, which given Dortmund’s high pressure style just bottled up. They were confident and their pressure gave them more of there ball, and a mistake by Ramsey led to their opener… Too, I felt we were trying to be a little bit fancy with the flicks and kicks, perhaps still flying a little too high after the Norwich game. Against a team of the quality of Dortmund, a more direct approach would’ve been better, and sure enough we came closest through Rosicky and Cazorla’s long range efforts.
Even so we could’ve won it, and it’s a cliche but it applies that we lost this one trying to win it. Both Gibbs and Sagna were caught out for the Lewandowski goal. What a shame. Now we have our work cut out for us to qualify for the knockout stages. But if we are as good as we look to be this year we should be able to step up in the tough trips to Dortmund and Naples and do the business.
Didn’t see the Napoli game so couldn’t Quite understand the general euphoria at the time but it can be a healthy thing that Dortmund brought us back to Earth. Or back to Pluto, in my case. 😉
With your kind permission Holic, this really is quite superb:
http://www.7amkickoff.com/2013/what-is-arsene-wenger-good-for-arsenal/?
H2H @ 160, thanks for the link 🙂
Great video, and Jack’s sister eh? What a beauty 😉
Joe @ 163, reading this article reminded me of the time I saw our very own TaBS lamblast Tim Payton in one of the beer gardens of the Tollie post game, the one that’s mostly on the Horney Road, nearest the Emirates. Good times 😆
Weetabix, please 😉 That should do it! Hi holics. Holic, from now on, when at The Tollie, wear an Elvis type white jumpsuit, you know, the one with sequins. No one will have trouble finding you then 🙂
8ball, Ha ha. It’s just that sometimes I get the feeling it’s a wonder anyone scores. Even when you play a lesser team, they usually do a pretty decent job defending.
Interesting read from the Guardian:
http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/oct/24/cesc-fabregas-arsenal-barcelona?INTCMP=ILCNETTXT3487
Snowy thanks for the link to that great Cesc interview. Amazing how the simple questions elicit the most elaborate answers.
Heh, abb,
From memory Elvis was a big old unit when he wore said garment. I am aiming more for the skinny rib jumper look. It may take a little longer… 😉
Good man snowy, thank you.
And you Joe, and H2H.
Bollocks, thank you everybody 😀
Abb great idea about the Elvis suit! But I would suggest that ‘holic should also wear it for the Arsecasts. 🙂
I saw that! 🙂
Ah, but will we see you? In that getup I would wager YES. 8)
Sometimes, Twitter is worth it
http://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/347023/-AskHarry-turns-into-Twitter-disaster-for-QPR-boss-Harry-Redknapp
#AskHarry If I draw a face on my bollocks & hang them out the car window, will security let me use your parking spot?
Haha…
Nice link Snowy. Thanks for that.
Holic in a white jump suit in the Tollie……..ABB what an image. I can’t wait. Maestro, over to you.
‘holic.
I’m not sure of the result on rib jumpers but the style mavens of today are whispering that white can have a slimming effect. 🙂
For instance,
http://c.shld.net/rpx/i/s/pi/mp/25527/2611730104?src=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.onellc.biz%2Fauction_images%2F1200x1200%2F56238M.jpg&d=2e092f629deb46b4e0cf02dbbd9387dc198397ed
But you have to get just the right shades of offsetting rhinestones, bt8b. The big unanswered question is does the guvnor have the hips for the full Elvis. The people need to know…
Does anyone know where I can get a list of distance covered by players?
I’ve given up the jumpsuit for the Arsenal onesie but have thus far been denied modelling opportunities. This is a merciful release for mankind. I am in the middle if a group of Palace fans at Selhurst tomorrow and it is fairly clear from the ticket wording that any away colours will see the wearer banned from the home sections.
Am I alone in regretting the fact that people who support different teams can’t sit next go each other and converse in a civilized way?
My friend had his 5 year old son with him at Villa Park a few years ago and when Henry scored the boy jumped up and Villa fans demanded that he be moved. That’s a very sad commentary in football fans, in my view.
H2H, cheers for the Wilshere vid. I’ll watch it properly this afternoon when I’m not teaching but for the time being…anyone else think his mum’s, um, alright?
Abb. Any chance of seeing you in the Tollie and at a game at some stage in the near future????? I think it would be right up your street.
Nice link Snowy although I still don’t want him back. Good read as well Joe.
Cynic. Being the technophobe that I am means I am not on Twitter, but that ask arry line and tweets just had me in tears. One of the funniest thing I have read in years.
If we are doing an Elvis theme can we start with the mountain of burgers era????
Morning all. 😀
Morning all,
Thanks for some good links, snowy, Joe, H2H.
Ned,
Holic certainly has the full hips but I’m not sure if that’s exactly what you meant. He might need a white jump suit from rather nearer the end of Elvis’ career. 😉
From the site of some at the end of an evening Trev I think they jump leads rather than a jump suit???
🙂
From the sight even……
Poxy fone..
Brought a smile to my face:
http://www.101greatgoals.com/blog/brent-cross-shopping-centre-has-changed-its-name-after-arsenals-mesut-ozil-shopped-there-on-thursday-meme/?
Holics, if i may touch on a few points and posts above:
On supporters of opposing teams sitting togehter and enjoying the game – we have the big local derby in RSA this weekend. It is Kaizer Chiefs vs. Orlando Pirates at Soccer City (the biggest in RSA and the same stadium of the WC final). The Soweto derby is apparently the only derby in the World where supporters of the bitter rivals sit together and openly taunt each other the entire game, I have to say it is good fun.
Thanks on the link on Cesc, an enjoyable read. My first ever life Arsenal game was the Champs League Final in Paris. One Englishman (who had travelled all the way without a ticket) asked me who was my favourite player at that stage and without thinking about it my answer was “Cesc Fabregas”. My interviewer looked un-impressed since Cesc was still a young 18yrs old, but to me he was already a star. It was love at first sight for me with Cesc in that Charity Shield game against Utd.
BJ I promised a response on Gooner support in RSA. I suspect like every other country (except England) South Africans support mostly the top 4 with Utd the majority (*vomit*). I have always been for the underdog. I remember the first Arseanl game I watched on TV was some cup final, Littlewoods final and John Lukic was the keeper. Just Googled that game and it turns out it was in ’87. But the one game that stuck and confimed me as die-hard gooner was the famous ’89 game against ‘Pool. Won’t say more of that game, a lot has been said of that game. BJ, the short story is that more and more of old Arsenal shirts are coming out of the closet in the last couple of weeks….funny majority of them are beaten up, suggesting supporters haven’t been impressed enough with the club recently to go buy new.
Another long post, apologies holics.
Cheers from RSA
Afternoon all. That Twitter quote re ‘Arry was actually from a Sp*d!!
Such are the legendary powers of ‘Arry, he can unite us (briefly) with the Sp*ds!!
Trev: 🙂
I’ll just wait for the video. No hurry….
Wait for the video Ned?
Are you going to pick it up in your time machine. 😉
Flamini time machine.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVzrI3az6T4
Hahaa…
Do not argue with the ref 🙂
http://www.101greatgoals.com/blog/madness-kuwaiti-ref-smashes-alnaser-player-in-retaliation-to-physical-intimidation-then-sends-off-a-cheikh/
D w s,
Not sure if that video is funny or just plain disgraceful – or both.
And that region has been awarded a World Cup ………
Hope Mike Dean is reffing. And Taylor. And Mason. How many officials will there be per game by then – we’re up to 6 now in the Champions League.
They feel safer in packs, Trev.
No not real fun, you’re right.
How they got a world cup? $$$$$
The problems coming along with that decision are visible for all of us now.
Masses of tumbleweed
Umm. Giggles. Know she’s about to soon be cut off for new post 😉 Good stuff from you fellas! Steve T, someday I do hope to venture once again to England. Sigh. But I feel so happy to know a part of me is there, in OUR stone. 🙂
A preview maestro?
445 am kickoff here. Early morning joy. 4-0 to the Arsenal.
preview? hmm. it must be a 6-pinter.
lol, norcal. timing is all. i’m thinking 3-1, but i’ll take your 4-0, too.
see you lot in the am!
Chips a cross to the right of the keeper and it’s rolling rolling rolling
Assssssssssisssssssssst……………
Well in H2H, in a viperish sort of way. 😉
Ooooh, a cross that flew in.
I’ll still claim it.
Excellent timing 8ball, lovely goal H2H. The man with the pool cue helps the man who throws darts 😉
heh2heh, well done. kind of slithered in past the keeper, i see.
Where have all the ‘holics gone? >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>