Posted in match preview on Feb 27th, 2015 176 Drinks »
A week that started with us back in the Premiership top three and looking forward with great anticipation ends with yet another bout of navel gazing. Not immune from that I spent a chunk of last evening watching the new Invincibles documentary. In this of all weeks that was probably a mistake. I make no apology for […]
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Posted in match review on Feb 26th, 2015 62 Drinks »
The last sixteen of the Champions League, generally regarded to have got a favourable draw, Arsenal contrived to fall to the counter-attacking game that Arsene Wenger himself had predicted beforehand. Monaco offered no surprises. Indeed they were under-strength, missing as they were the likes of Toulalan, Bakayoko, and Raggi. Kurzawa and Ferreira Carrasco only started on the bench, resting […]
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Posted in match preview on Feb 24th, 2015 235 Drinks »
“Monaco made 11 points at the group stage, scored four goals and conceded one, so that means they defend very well. That’s what they will certainly try to do tomorrow and they are also very good on the break, quick in transition, so that’s what we expect from them.” Arsene giving an assessment of his […]
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Posted in match review on Feb 21st, 2015 106 Drinks »
Arsenal sit in third place in the Premier League after an atmospheric afternoon at Selhurst Park. From early on it was clear that we were paying Palace much respect, relying once again on the pragmatic that brought us joy at Eastlands rather than the flourish with which Boro were dismissed last week. A difficult afternoon […]
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Posted in match preview on Feb 20th, 2015 106 Drinks »
I was chatting to a mate last week about my first visit to Selhurst Park in November 1969. It was the first League meeting of the two clubs. We stood at the back of the Whitehorse Lane end, sold in 1981 to make way for a Sainsbury’s supermarket. The pre-match read of the programme was depressing, […]
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Posted in book reviews on Feb 18th, 2015 39 Drinks »
As a young boy I wrote to one of my favourite players of the time asking for some tips and didn’t in all honesty expect a reply. I certainly didn’t expect four pages of Basildon Bond to come through the letter box shortly afterwards. Handwritten tips and advice from a stylish midfielder with an explosive […]
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Posted in match review on Feb 16th, 2015 129 Drinks »
A change of routine meant a few Guinni in the Pins before heading for the Tollie, and a mood of confidence was built ahead of a potentially tricky tie. As the teams prepared to kick-off we took our place very close to the traveling hordes. This was an atmospheric day! From the off Arsenal […]
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Posted in match preview on Feb 13th, 2015 158 Drinks »
“At least we will not have the excuse to be surprised because they beat Manchester City in a convincing way. That is a good warning for us. In the Championship, any team that plays at the top is a danger for any Premier League team. They are well organised, play good football with good pace, […]
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Posted in match review on Feb 10th, 2015 139 Drinks »
This was supposed to be the bounce back night from the weekend, and at the end of the day one has to say the end justifies the means. However this was yet another game of two halves, without doubt. Arsene made some significant changes to the starting line-up in attacking areas. Sensibly, I originally thought, […]
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Posted in match preview on Feb 9th, 2015 131 Drinks »
After a string of free midweeks the visit of Leicester on Tuesday could not be better timed. Very quickly the mood that has followed Saturday’s tame defeat can be improved as the pointed end of the season looms into view. Arsene Wenger is under no illusion about the size of the task facing Arsenal in […]
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