Giroud Two Good For Boro
Feb 16th, 2015 by 'holic
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 were clearly of a mind to get the job done with style. Mesut Ozil and Santi Cazorla took control and mesmerised the visitors with speed of thought and sleight of foot. Mejias was kept busy in the Boro goal, denying Cazorla and Giroud as the Gunners probed for an opening.
Surely the first goal wouldn’t be long in arriving? When it did there was an element of London buses involved as two turned up together. First Cazorla released Kieran Gibbs to cross for Olivier Giroud to slide home the opener, then Alexis found the Frenchman at the near post for a sweet volleyed flick to double the advantage. Nine thousand Boro fans were silenced.
The second-half followed a similar pattern without the finishing touches. This was a dominant performance as we have seen from an Arsenal side in some time. Ozil, Gibbs, Alexis, Cazorla and substitute Theo Walcott all went close to increasing the margin of victory. On their rare forays into Arsenal territory Boro encountered a solid Gunners defence.
A word for debutant Gabriel. If he has problems communicating with those around him it didn’t show yesterday. His performance was assured, strong in the air and positionally sound he appears to be a very shrewd signing, although doubtless he will face sterner tests.
This was a return to the sort of midfield masterclass we specialised in through the calendar year of 2013, and if this level of intensity can be maintained then the season may yet hold more silverware in store. The squad is gaining some strength in depth again as the walking wounded return. How many could agree on what our strongest eleven is right now, so many candidates are there in most positions?
The draw for the quarter-finals takes place later and could be anything. I’ll take anyone at home, or a short journey down the M4 to Reading.
Have a great week, ‘holics.
129 Responses to “Giroud Two Good For Boro”
I remember the days when bars didn’t open this early…
Our problem will resurfaced when Wilshere and Ramsey return to the squad. The manager loves their combo despite its lack of result. Once they return, u will start seeing players like Ozil and Carzola either sitting on the bench or playing on the wings, while a certain Rosicky disappears from the squad.
Top three 🙂
Top 3, at least this season.
Looking good.
Fine report Holic – London buses indeed.
Holic, we clearly saw the same game. Gabriel certainly showed promise, he didn’t have a lot to do but what little there was he dealt with really well. Will be interesting to see how he fares against better opposition but I really liked what I saw yesterday.
Bring on the draw tonight, I’d happily avoid both ManU and Liverpool but I am set on us being drawn away to ManU or Liverpool so any other draw will feel like a bonus 🙂
@2 – surely it is now a no brainer.
Jack and ramsey bench warmers until deserving of anything else.
Arsenal bromances aside, doubt even arsene would dare tinker with current formations that are starting to click.
I knew this goal was a thing of beauty watching from up high in the North Bank yesterday but didn’t realize how great it was…every player got a touch…the perfect goal ?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/31480408
My best Gabriel moment came when he impeded a Boro player cynically. He had the “you’re lucky I can’t speak fluently yet” look before he scampered away from the yellow card. I like the look of the squad. Who wouldn’t?. Only the loss to spurs still haunts. Minus the 6points from Man Utd and Chelsea and I think we’d do enough to make Top4. Silverware? I’m not banking on it. Come On Wenger!! Another massive summer signing and we’d win the league title hassle free. Nice early drink BTW holic. I needed the coffee.
Hi all
A fine and most enjoyable day yesterday. The number of worldie saves I have seen against us this season is now racking up into the teens – it certainly could have been more without their guardian in nets. I am so enjoying the form of Santi, the rambunctious Sanchez and the smooth Ozil.
Yet is is our Mezut I wanted to ask about. I am and always have been a huge supporter of our German maestro. I came back home to find people who had watched the game on TV raving about his performance, it was “perfect”; “flawless” etc.
Yet I have to say I didn’t see this from Block 7. In the first half I was even grumbling about his performance as time and again he gave the ball away – I counted about six misplaced passes. Much better in the second half though – he was good then.
Does it do us any good to go over the top when the performance doesn’t merit it? There is becoming an element of the Emperor’s New Clothes here. I thought Santi, Giroud, Gibbs, Chambers and Kos were “flawless” yesterday – Mezut turned in a solid 7/10 and was merely very good. Let’s keep it real.
Nine wins on the bounce at the Ems – it’s a great time to be a season ticket holder!
Afternoon all. Thanks for the report H… a freezing stream (shush Trev) meant I gave up watching halfway through, so nice to know what went on!
Giroud´s second and the divine Gabriel´s Keown-like taking of the man were the highlights..
Great report guvvnah.
Interesting to read what you and fellow drinkers say about Gabriel. I was condemned to listening to the 5Live commentary,where he was rarely mentioned (along with the rest of the defence) but when he was, it seemed to be because of some error on his part. K know which version I would prefer to give credit to.
The season’s warming up nicely as we approach the pointy end with players coming back.
COYG
Bantams…at the Valley.
Nice one, Holic.
Boro did indeed look mesmerised, bewildered and bemused particularly by our first half performance. Not every side they would face, should they win promotion this season, would have the quality we showed yesterday but you do wonder how they would get on.
It looked as though they had never encountered football of that level before – they haven’t, of course – but such was the pace of our game and speed of our press that, on the rare occasions they managed to get the ball, they simply panicked and kicked it off.
Cazorla, Özil and Sanchez have restored the world class ingredients to the team that were necessarily missed through the lean years of planning and building the stadium. It’s hard to imagine a more creative trio anywhere. If they all stay fit and really learn to play consistently together we are in for a rare treat.
Gabriel had a fine debut – yes, it was ‘only’ Middlesborough, etc etc – and the cynical taking out of his opponent in the last five minutes was a sight for sore eyes. Better than that, though, was his ability in the air, his awareness, pace and determination to recover position as quickly as possible, as soon as an opposition attack was dealt with.
Aussie’s list of winning attributes in the previous bar made for heartening reading. The Tottenham performance was a big disappointment for sure, but overall I’d say it was a bit of luck that Mr Wenger wasn’t given the heave-ho whenever it was he last lost the dressing room, eh ? 😉
Holic,
The photo in the review is upside down – presumably as a special treat for Aussie and Oskar. 😉
Wouldn’t want to have to play on that potato patch SSY. Our passing game would be rendered useless. Injuries waiting to happen too.
Photo the right way up for me Trev.
Upside down on the iPad.
Cheers for the one the sport report ‘H’.
I must admit I was a tad worried when I saw the team sheet pre match as I believed that there were too many changes made at the back. I was soon put at ease.
A great performance from front to back, we pressed and harried them from the off, and to be brutaly honest they never really had a sniff. If I were to have a gripe it would be that we didn’t kill them off, I understand the neccessity of energy conservation, but I’d really like us to be a little more ruthless. 2-0 is such a precarious score line. But again to be fair, their keeper did manage to pull off some top saves, that one from Alexis’ header was magnificent.
The draw for the Quarters are in less then an hour. Playing like that we are the team that the others will want to avoid.
Bring it on………….
Turn it around Trev.
😉 😛
First time round watching that I had drunk quite a lot. Did not take much in beyond the score. I have now re-watched it. We were good. We have good players. When they play together, for each other, as a team, they are really quite something. Just have to keep doing it.
In one of my favourite pieces of recent commentary (an admittedly small category) Wojciech Schezny, in his yellow gloves, orange kit and green boots was described as looking “like a pack of highlighter pens.” Brilliant.
Who do we want in the cup? Frankly I hope Manure and Liverpoo draw each other.
Yeah that works, H2H !
Oh – now the words are all upside down. 🙂
😆 😆
Trev, you know you shouldn’t have bought an i-Pad off that geezer in the Tollie. 🙂
ipads are for geeks
ᴉԀɐps ɐɹǝ ɟoɹ ƃǝǝʞs
Manure away.
Preston or Manure away
Oh ffs…
COME ON PRESTON! 🙂
Just saw how we’ll face next. COME ON PRESTON! 🙂
“Who” of course 😉
I just wanted a home draw. Dammit Woy.
BMBD
That was his best work for the Mickeys.
Manure are lucky that PNE are bog standard.
What a shit half of football.
No way we should fear those no marks.
PNE score.
Ha ha ha ha ha
What a dive by shrek
Shame about PN, reading the BBC text update it says Rooney went down for the pen, looked like there was no contact.
Who’da thought it, Rooney flinging himself down in the box to win a penalty!
Cannot wait for this QF, a proper classic match up.
This PNE vs. United game just reminded me why I dislike Utd so much. 1 goal down in a tense match they get 3 (not 1 or 2) dubious decisions from officials and win match.
1st goal Rooney is interfering with play, the keeper is set anticipating a touch from Rooney, Rooney lets ball run and only then does he dive to his right but at that stage too late.
2nd goal I thought I saw a push by Fellaini against PNE captain.
3rd is most sickening. Rooney clearly dives for penalty. Anyone else would be called a cheat but commentators go on about how Rooney “won the penalty.
Come on Arsenal, please let’s knock them out…..nothing will make me happier.
I’m not sure I can bare the idea of losing to these chumps again. Here’s hoping we can get the job done this time.
Blimey Cynic @23 – how the hell do you do that ?!?!
Charlie,
Me neither. Although I would say one thing: we really need to get the Manu hoodo off our back and this presents a perfect opportunity. Even better if Welbs gets the winner.
Pangloss
I note you regularly listen to games on 5 Live. Not sure why this is. Do you not control the remote in your house or are you on the move when games are on?
I gave up listening to 5 Live many years ago because of the prattish Alan Green and I refuse to favour TalkSport with my custom. Granted I see nearly all our home games but about 80 % of our matches are shown live and those that technically aren’t are available on streams. I find the process of listening to Arsenal on the radio agonising. I perceive a huge BBC Radio bias against Arsenal .
For instance it would be very hard to construct a perception of Gabriel making loads of mistakes yesterday. If I wrack my brains he might have made slight errors a couple of times but he won every header , was around 100% on passing, most of which were very straightforward and made one challenge that was excellent in a critical position. He even got a top Quality yellow card if such a thing exists, taking one for the team with a fulminating challenge. There was no way even Green could construct an honest scenario where he was regularly at fault.
Old gits like me like to think ( and we are delusional) that we can sense immediately whether someone is a player or not. Wenger, I believe, has a huge intuition about players . Gabriel convinced me immediately he was a proper quality centre back in the way that Stepanovs , who I had forgotten about until Trev reminded me, Cygan and Oleg Luzhny never quite did. Might be too early to describe him as a future Arsenal Legend but I suspect he will do very well for us. Dont let 5 Live corrupt you☺️☺️
Ttg, one of the house rules at Castle Ned is never to watch a broadcast or stream win commentary in a language we speak. It has stood our sanity in good stead.
Joe@39: you are right. A win at OT in the Cup would get several monkeys off our backs.
Trev – Mᴉʇɥ ɐu ndsᴉpǝ poʍu ʇǝxʇ ɔouʌǝɹʇǝɹ
http://www.upsidedowntext.com
Objectively: it’s a bad draw.
Subjectively: a wonderful opportunity to finally beat one of the scummiest teams in the country on their own patch, at a time when they’re playing the worst football in living memory. Bring it on.
COYG
bathgooner @22 –
You’re right but I never imagined the actual Goonerholic would pull a fast one like that !
😉
TTG @ 40: There are three moments from our new defender which made him stand out as someone who is temperamentally — and that is where so much of the difference is at this level especially for defenders — strong and decisive:
The first one is that wonderful tackled clearance in the penalty box, flawlessly executed.
Second one was his reaction after the poor touch that conceded a corner. The severity of the self-reprimand tells you this is a motherfucker who probably runs the risk of damaging people around him if he concedes a goal.
Third one was the yellow card. Whereas the sheer visceral visuality of the challenge got much of the attention, the timing and where the challenges was committed were excellent indicators of his judgment. That same challenge committed a second or two later would result in a very dangerous free-kick and a little deeper inside our area may even run the risk of earning a red. He sensed the danger and reacted immediately.
And he always had Chambers’ back, in a simple no-nonsense non-demonstrative way.
As you said, all the signs of an excellent signing.
Spot on N7 (#44). Not that we ever beat Manure however badly they’re playing. No wait, FA Cup final 2005. They played us off the park all game but we won the pen shootout!
Otoh, if we can pull it off the cup is ours for the taking.
Öskar
Six misplaced passes in the first half, countryman? Maybe you’re right, but the good stuff he did far outweighed any mistakes. I gave Özil motm as much for his attitude as his play. For once in his Ems career he got stuck in, disputed tackles and chased the ball. The Özilla I have been hoping to see for ever.
Öskar
Bloody FA Cup. Seven teams we might have played, home or away, and we get the worst possible result. It’s Barca all over again… 🙁
Öskar
Joe/N7/NBN: I think that our recent poor record at and against ManU has been primarily due to psychological reasons, accumulated after years of young talents lacking in self-confidence and solidarity coming up against a bullying, cheating, classless group of players and their celebrated (spit!) manager and suffering as a result. We were winning 1-0 against them at the old toilet thanks to Arshavin’s brilliant goal and then the dives and fouls and the playacting started. And hackling Arsene, and their manager foaming at mouth having a go against the referee.
That “tradition” has to end. Whereas RVP, Theo, Cesc, Sagna may have had an inferiority complex — or whatever it was — and others like Arteta having been around in this league for a while learning to “fear” the shit united’s reputation more than their talent (after Ronaldo left they have been mostly a very ordinary team, it is the tirelessness of their bald captain and occasionally inspired workaholics like Park or Valencia that had often told the difference), Alexis, Ozil, Santi, and dare I say Bellerin, Monreal, Giroud have no such baggage. They should look at this very average team and be quietly confident that if they can play with the right degree of tempo, high pressing and composure on the ball while defending collectively they have got this one.
And then there is Danny, who surely would like a homecoming to remind his friends what he is capable of.
My only concerned would be the afro-haired Belgian and his ridiculous over-the-top challenges that go unnoticed in the old toilet. I am sure he will be given the responsibility to take Alexis and/or Ozil out of the game, and as long as the referee is not shamelessly pro-ManU we should be fine.
Hooky ipads? Who’s knocking them out then? 😉
For me, two interesting scenarios have developed from the FA cup domination of Middles-ville.
It seems we do indeed have ourselves a “shoulder charging badass motherfucker” of a defender.
we have been awaiting your arrival Gabriel. welcome
might even get me a new arsenal shirt with the wording:
“badass motherfucker 5”
and
Oskar did indeed vote Ozil MOTM.
says it all for me about the current changes developing in this squad.
🙂
Özil has always been a class player, Aussie, and I’ve always said so. But there’s something different about him this year, he seems to have bulked up a bit and is more prepared to get stuck in. Obviously he’s been reading Goonerholic while recovering from WC and subsequent injury. 😉
Öskar
Aha, the world appears to be the right way up again.
The FA Cup draw is made with heated balls.
Oskar has found the love for Mesut.
Rooney is exonerated by all and sundry for one of the most blatant dives ever seen.
Mourinho is talking like a stupidly self important, spoilt, miserable little See You Next Tuesday.
Order is restored.
Carry on. 😉
Oskar – your previous comments on Ozil are duly noted and kept in a secure archive.
I was very pleased to see at one point in the match Ozil was barking orders in a pissed off tone at his fellow team mates who were not moving up to press the Boro backs to his satisfaction.
BLOODY MARVELLOUS viewing all round
Oskar,
It was always going to take Özil time to adjust to the style and physicality of the Premier League.
Remember the reaction of Robert Pires on his introduction to Premier League football, and he turned out quite well.
Santi Cazorla has taken three years to develop the strength to allow his amazing technical ability to shine consistently.
Hope you at least sent him a Valentine’s card now you’ve finally found him. 😉
Trev @ 54:When has Rooney not been exonerated for all of his odious little lowlife maneuvers in the football pitch? Apparently it is the “foreigners” that bring dives etc. into PL…Rooney has been one of the worst offenders (as well as that of cynical fouling, another ManU speciality) in PL in the recent history.
I sincerely hope not only we thump them out of FA Cup but also repeat that again in our penultimate league match, as a result derailing their hopes of CL, and may the long slide downwards continue. And the overspending, and revenue drop.
🙂
heh @ Trev:
Oskar and Mesut’s relationship has not been an easy one.
There has been many obstacles along the way.
so pleased to see they have worked things out and doing well
🙂
Draw at Old Trafford to be followed by Emirates replay victory followed by Manc deflation, dejection and derailment.
Script written. 🙂
If we turn up at Old Toilet with the right attitude and application, I see no reason why we can’t knock out this very poor but unbelievably lucky Man U team. They have been dire all season, but managed to beat us with 1 shot on goal after we played them off the park. Lucky, cheating bastards.
COYG!! Let’s get them.
I was more nervous about playing the Leicesters and Boros than I am about playing this UTD squad.
A lot has changed in our team both mentally and physically and there is still scope for further improvements.
Perhaps the recent “real” competition for positions is now a “real” threat to some previously big egos and under achievers.
This arsenal squad now has some “real” backbone and seem to be working very hard for each other and the manager.
Combined with some outstanding talent and quality in decent form is a powerful combination not seen from our team in a long time.
We will dominate UTD from start to finish.
We will have to play very well to beat the mancs. expect a lot of snapping at the heels and untimely challenges. hate to say it but that rooney turns up a gear whenever he sees us. grrrr!!
hope the boys turn up. if we can keep everyone fit no reason why we cant get a win or at least a draw. COYG
Let’s not debate it all over again, Trev. 🙁 Özil started ok last season but went well off the boil and was poor for months.
Yes I know some players new to the Prem (Bobby Pires is a great example) take time to adjust, but it’s not a golden rule. Santi defied it by hitting the ground running in his first season and now Alexis has blown it out of the water.
Thankfully Özil looks a different player this year, especially in his attitude. Let’s hope it continues, a new legend is born and in time a new statue is erected outside the Ems.
Öskar
It is in the mind, in the bloody mind. 2006 was the last time we beat them at ot and it boggles my mind off that we havent been able to beat them at all till now. We lose it in the mind even before the game starts and that to a large extent is something Wenger needs to address or should have if i may say so.
The present team is better than united, it is a given. Yet forces and a diving shrek always conspire to ensure we dont win and i for once pray that we show them we are the boss.
Fixture pileup will be a burden and this where united have the advantage of rest whereas we play non stop till that game.
Our big names rarely turn up against them and chelsea, i hope thats not the case and a certain Sanchez just chooses this game to ensure he is the PFA player of the season.
Parting shot- a win in the FA cup or beating them in the league?? Beating them in the league for me and hopefully the result ensures we finish 3rd and they out of top four.
Before we hang up the victory bunting to celebrate our impending victory at the Toilet, its worth remembering that Van Gaal, for all the criticism that has been levied at him, has just had one defeat in the last 19 games and as poor as they have been this season, they’re still higher placed than we are in the league. Thats consistency – one thing we’ve been lacking this year. The one dependable you’ll always get from a Manu team is workrate. So we’re going to have to “turn up” in a very big way if we harbour any ambitions of getting a result. We all know what happened at the lane! We have, for many many years now, had better and more talented teams playing against Manu but we still ended up getting stuffed. None more so than the game at the Ems earlier this season. So I find it hard to believe where all the new-found optimism is coming from all of a sudden. People have short memories.
Nobody is assuming victory, what we’re saying is we CAN do it.
And they can’t be that much more consistent than us, they’re only two points ahead at the moment!
Joe – the new found optimism I see in this squad is that they seem to be taking their destinies into their own hands rather than leaving the entire blame for shite performances with arsene to defend.
I am seeing players snapping at each other when things aren’t do done perfectly, defending in packs, defending as a team.
The players seem to actually give a shit and the arrogant lip service seems to be disappearing out of player interviews.
Competition for a starting spot has been too long one of the key missing ingredients of our club.
When has there Ever been a recent side where most arsenal fans are not bickering over theo, ramsey, szcez or jack or gibbs getting a god given start
They don’t even make most people’s first 11 at present but are welcome addition to our bench rotation.
That is a very different culture that was on display for the majority of recent previous seasons.
The FA Cup draw is made with heated balls.
The door is now open for jokes…
Joe@65, I agree we’ll have to put in a shift at OT like we did at Citeh.
Utd won’t give us a second on the ball, plus the cynical fouling. We know they like to kick us around & we need to match their physicality. I’d play Coquelin & Flamini at the base of MF, Gabriel in CD, Welbz, Rosicky, OXC & Sanchez for their work rate and attitude. I don’t know if I’d play Santi & Ozil together in this one.
I see the Europa League is back this week. When you think Fulham were a beaten finalist in 2010, it’s not too far fetched to think that Liverpool, Everton or Spurs have a chance to win it, especially as the reward is a place in the Champions League. That means we have to finish 3rd.
COYR’s.
Let us now lay this ghost.
Two dominant performances delivering decisive victories at the Old Toilet will go a long way to establish this Arsenal squad as the new force.
Just read this morning’s BBC headline:
“Rooney ‘did not dive’ to win a penalty.”
Oh no, he didn’t. Not by any stretch of the imagination. Oh not at all, never in a million years. Not Rooney. Oh no, not Wayne.
Disingenuous tossers. Do they think the general public are blind?
“Two dominant performances delivering decisive victories at the Old Toilet will go a long way to establish this Arsenal squad as the new force.”
Couldn’t agree with you more Bath.
The FA cup tie is a precursor to the league match.
Aussie – agree with the points you make in relation to depth, and the competition for place is most welcome but depth alone doesn’t win games. You still have to “turn up” and two weeks ago at the lane, we tossed away an early lead and in the end were lucky to have only been beaten by one goal.
I can’t remember a more closely contested run in. There are 5 points separating 5 teams in the run in for 2 CL spaces. Every single game from here to May is a cup final and could be pivotal. And everyone seems to be waiting for Southampton, Liverpool & Spurs to fall away. Well I think they’ll still be there right down to the wire.
I hate seeing Rooney cheat and get away with it as much as the next man. But thats how the game is now. I mean seriously, what can you expect when the refereeing and administration is so poor and the game is awash with money? Its only going to get worse I think. To be honest I’d love if we had that same sense of cynicism and ruthlessness. The concept of “fair play” is for the nice guys who finish down the pecking order. How many winning teams are comprised of “nice guys”? Its about winning at all costs and the sooner we learn that lesson the more successful we’ll be for it.
Hopefully we will receive a large allocation of tickets. This is a game not to be missed, will make every effort to be there.
Another shocking Ref decision but we shouldn’t be surprised, should we?
Now off to clean the car.
COYRs
He doesnt dive of course he doesnt dive, he is FA’s dearest and it is united afterall, so of course shrek never dives.
Shrek for all his work rate and talent is pathetic. I hate the sight of him and i cannot condemn him enough for that dive at old toilet 10 years back.
Anyone giving a toss to durham and co on dailymail?? the rant continues about Arsenal fans making average players super stars because we cannot win anything and use such things to divert attention. I mean how does he even get to write on a public forum????
Intersting debate Joe, I see entirely where you are coming from when inquiring about the “new found optimism”.
Last night while watching that pile of poo, billed as a first half of football, I posted; No way we should fear those no marks.
I stand by that statement.
Beating them, at their place, is of course an entirely different matter. However, this is not a Manure team of yore, the fear factor that ol’ beetroot face had instilled in them over the decades has gone, even if the ref and media bias still linger around like a bad smell. Surprisingly (well, to me anyway) I don’t think van Gaal really knows what he is doing. He’s tinkering with line ups and player positions, which in itself is not a bad thing, but he just seems clueless to which formation actually works. The players don’t seem to be buying into it either and it is there to see in what can only be described as some pretty abject performances. Yes they are on a good run, but a lot of that seems to come from luck rather then design and we all know that luck will eventually run out. Let’s hope that when it does we will be there to usher in a new era of bad times for them.
Back to our team and the “new found optimism”.
It is a modern day decease I like to call InTheNowism. It was created in labs on Fleet Street and was first only transmitted via print on paper but has now spread like wildfire via the medium of TV and across the interweb, it’s a horrible virus that can be caught by anyone. The symptoms are having a narrative without perspective or basic short term thinking, being blinkered is a sure sign too, beware of Twitter where the carriers seek refuge
Examples of InTheNowism are easy to find, why, over the last few weeks there has been massive outbreaks even on these very pages. From Wenger out (an often heard cry) to tactical genius (Citeh away), and from, no depth or passion (Spertz away) to deepest and best squad since the Sliced Bread XI of the early 60’s (Boro home). Massive bi-polar and general flip flopping are dead give aways to identifying the inflicted.
Sadly there isn’t really a cure for InTheNowism and with social and mainstream media more then willing to contribute to the dumbing down of sufferers by perpetrating and fueling the simplistic narratives there wil be little hope of finding one.
Stay safe people.
now, now h2h
.
play nice
😉
That’s me wrapped in fluffy, cba. 😉
before i flollop in a heap of dead
i will definitely get a jar in yer bar
.
🙂
H2H, could not agree more on the InTheNowism.
Yes, ManU may have only one loss in 19, but they have also had a fairly soft fixture list in those 19. Four of them have been in the cup against teams from League One or lower (they needed a replay v Cambridge!). That leaves 15 league games, one of which they lost at home to Southampton.
Their opponents in those games:
Crystal Palace (h, 1-0)
Arsenal (a, 2-1)
Hull (h, 3-0)
Stoke (h, 2-1)
Southampton (a, 2-1)
Liverpool (h, 3-0)
Villa (a, 1-1)
Newcastle (h, 3-1)
Spurs (a, 0-0)
Stoke (a, 1-1)
Southampton (h, 0-1)
QPR (a, 2-0)
Leicester (h, 3-1)
West Ham (a, 1-1)
Burnley (h, 3-1)
In other words, only two of those 19 matches against opposition currently in the top four, and three have been against us, Liverpool and Spurs. Plus a game against a West Ham weakened by injuries.
Palace, Hull, Villa, Newcastle, Stoke (twice), QPR, Leicester and Burnley make up a further nine.
So in total, 14 out of those 19 games have been against teams currently placed 10th or lower, and as I said four of them against League One or lower.
For comparison, in the same period we have played West Ham (when they were the form team of the league), Liverpool, Southampton, City and Spurs away, plus Southampton at home. We won three, drew one and lost two of those.
You can point to the fact that they have three wins against us, Liverpool, Spurs and Southampton, but all three wins had a huge element of luck to it. All three teams had injuries to key players, and in the case of us and Liverpool also a heavy fixture list with Champions League matches in addition to league games. Their upcoming fixtures include Spurs, City and us at home and they still have to go visit Chelsea, Liverpool and Everton.
I am not saying we can’t lose at Old Trafford. That would be a really daft thing to say, but to say we can’t win is equally daft. ManU are not a team completely devoid of talent, but one loss in 19 tells far from the whole story for them. They are far from the force they once were, and if we want to be a winning team then let us step up and show that at Old Trafford in early March.
and indeed
a ‘holics packed tollie brolly
.
been grumbling for ages
.
*tickles lotto ticket for luck*
.
🙂
We can beat this ManU team. Should have beaten them in the league earlier in the season.
That Rooney penalty against PNE was even less of a penalty than this infamous dive:
http://youtu.be/O0UdpLNiD-o
Same old trick of dragging the toes of his trailing leg along the ground so he can do nothing but fall over.
Plenty of examples here:
http://youtu.be/w-mPp-RS7SU
Ned, and in the same game as that dive Rooney took against us at Old Toilet there was the clearest penalty and red card you’ll ever see not given against Fletcher for a two-footed assault on Arshavin. The only reason that situation has been somewhat forgotten was because little Andrey spanked in a shot from 30 yards about ten seconds later to put us ahead, but it was only good fortune that he wasn’t seriously injured when Fletcher launched himself at him.
ned
.
spudwigs dive
i lost no sleep over
the blockhead cunt cunts about
and gets away with it
.
and so it shall be
we can huff
and we can puff
but
plugboy is plugboy
MU…. Blaaaargggghhhhhhhhhgh!
Up The Arse!
🙂
It’s high time we sorted these Mancs out. Here’s hoping our injury curse is behind us and we have a fit squad for the games at the Old Toilet.
This Arsenal team needs to put a marker down and where better?
bath
.
abs:olutely
.
dealin them twats a hearty pastin’
is what gives me deep joy
.
yup
84 bb
+1
🙂
Actually, looking at the list of ManU games I compiled up there I see that they have only four wins in their last nine league games – against Newcastle (currently 11th), QPR (17th), Leicester (20th) and Burnley (19th).
@cba
Sums them up aptly.
😀
lars
ye puntin fer a castle ned monk vacancy
?
eh?
we’ve all heard the vespers
I can not compete with the Castle Ned monks, cba!
Sign him up! : http://i.imgur.com/XJoLdoX.gifv
😀
lars
yer seldom wrong
but
yer right again
.
ned’s monks
big electronic saliva fingers
rifling through tripe an shite
our greedy needs
illuminating
foregoing
illuminating
.
top monks
shite band
nice legs
shame about the fuck off
Next time rooney dives, send in the dog : http://i.imgur.com/NaoPYVI.gifv
As has been said above, I don’t think anyone is looking at that quarter final and feeling that this one’s in the bag.
Weighed against that, we need to beat the Red Mancs sometime, and they feel about as vulnerable now as at any time in the last 20 years, regardless of their league position. You only have to watch their performances or visit a Red Manc blog to realise that this is not vintage Yanited, by any stretch.
Just a further point to note: this is Utd’s fixture schedule for March/April…
March
Newcastle (A)
Arsenal (H) FA Cup
Tottenham (H)
Liverpool (A)
April
Aston Villa (H)
City (H)
Chelsea (A) or FA Cup semi Final
Everton (A)
The eagle eyed amongst you will note that (a) it’s horrendous; and (b) another positive side effect if we are able to beat them at OT in the cup is that they will play Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in April, when presumably the Chavs will still need points, rather than having the game rescheduled for May, by which time Mourinho will probably have wrapped up the title and decide to send out a second string.
COYG
Another thing more or less everyone seems to have missed is this:
We don’t actually have to win at OT to progress. A draw to get a replay at home and then winning that will also do 🙂
Lars. Any way you look at it they are screwed.
Or will be. 😉
Lars, H2H
I’m not saying we can’t win at Old Trafford. Of course we can and I seriously hope we do in a spectacular way if possible. But it means turning up with a serious display. I was thrilled with the performance against Citeh and really thought that it might be a blueprint for how we approach the big away games but then we went to the lane just didn’t perform at all. In fact, Citeh apart, we’ve suffered in many of the bigger games this season.
Is it any wonder that we should approach the game at Manu with an element of perspective and caution given how its been such a cauldron of disappointments for us in recent years? In the last 11 League appearances against Manu we have won 1, drawn 2 and lost 8. We’ve lost the two CL encounters. And we’ve lost the last two 2 FA cup draws too. You’d have to go back 10 years to 2005 when we beat them on penalties for our last victory on that front.
So its pretty poor reading. Whats been even more frustrating is that despite Manu being utterly shit over the past two years, we still haven’t been able to beat them. I refuse to think its all down to bad luck, or poor tactics. Maybe there is a psychological element now. And maybe its just me. But earlier this season at the Ems I just could not believe how we managed to loose that game because there was no comparison between two sides. But loose it we did. And as I said, I think Van Gaal must be doing something right considering his recent results during such change and where they currently find themselves in the table.
While I take your viewpoint Lars that Manu have played many of the lower level teams, my own thinking on that front is that there is no such thing as an easy game in the PL anymore. There are arguably 10 teams competing to stay alive in the bottom section. Similarly, there are 7-8 teams fighting for CL qualification. In this context, there are few teams that have nothing to play for – so I think every game is tough. The Leicester game recently was far from easy and they’re at the bottom.
And I don’t know what to say about the “In the Now ism” H2H. If your suggesting that my opinions vary because of my attention to media articles or twitter…..then I would say kindly that your obviously not familiar with my workload. Then again, maybe the emotive fluctuations are just part and parcel of being a fan of the Arsenal and being perplexed as to how we can play so well and then so poorly at times. I’ll let you be the judge of that.
Apologies if my comments have touched a nerve or caused any offence. Thats not my intention either.
Arsesit…
Bang?
Quality bit of goal hanging, even if I say so myself. Massive props to the selflessness of Cent as well.
Joe.
I think you’ve taken the wrong end of the stick regarding my post.
Nevermind, no worries.
Well in Esso.
That’s the problem with EndOfTheStickism ……..
One day the right end, next day ……… 😉
Esso, great bit of poaching SON !!! 😉
i don’t get involved in the surgical
befores and afters
like a goodly lump of
hover abouters
here
my hover of choice is an
all-action 5 decades
.
but
my only comparison
comin out of a gig
do you rush to shout shite
when you didnt think
joey gave a fuck
mac was too busy smokin
steven patrick not sufficiently dismissive
.
yes you do
does it tarnish all that came before
nope
but i did see cathal coughlan
lying onstage with a rolling eyeball
mark e smith fire the whole band
and sigur ros play insuch delicate flower mode
ye could hear the bogs flushing in the venue
.
forgot my point
Good luck to Archway Sheet Metal Works in court tomorrow, as it looks like they are going to need it.
Joe: But it means turning up with a serious display
Oh, absolutely. They are by no means a shit team, I just think that many (me included, probably) still view them in the light of the team they once were, hence just seeing “one loss in 19” and not reflecting on who those games were against. We will have to come up with a very good performance, of course. But they haven’t been this beatable in years, I’d argue.
cba@83: you put it so much better than I ever could. I can see you made your living from the words. and your@93’s a hoot.
bb@94: so’s yours. What would happen to Rooney’s plug if that pug got at them…
N7G@95: on the nail. The Mancs are more beatable than in a long time, and we should have taken three points off them earlier in the season. And given the mental baggage we may be carrying, it might be better to play them in a quarter-final than in a semi, when the stakes will be higher.
Esso@100: Well in, which ever end of the stick it was…
cba@105, saw Cathal’s Fatima Mansions “live” a few times.
For being so intense on-stage, a remarkably mild mannered man off stage.
“Only Losers take the Bus”…great song.
http://www.theguardian.com/football/video/2015/feb/17/chelsea-fans-prevent-black-man-boarding-paris-metro-video?CMP=share_btn_tw
he’s coming home!!!
http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/558704/Thierry-Henry-Arsenal-Hale-End-academy
Esso, that is disgusting.
@110 Esso
Revolting chavs.. just when you think they can’t get any lower.. they surprise yet again.
Shall be looking forward to PSG kicking them out of the CL and them losing the league this year!
Chelski… that’s what happens when there’s too much inbreeding!
Rarely post but always read. I couldn’t be happier about the FA Cup Manure game. I believe we can do them in an historical away. Home is a real advantage, for any team, so to go there and do them would be something else. Truth be known I detest Tottenham, Liverpool and Manure and Chelsea but not necessarily in that order.
I would also like to post my respect for the ‘holic for the intelligence and commitment he has always shown to Arsenal people. Won’t hear from me again for a while but always here. I don’t believe in ideology but I, in a contextual sense, think there is no other than Wenger for the Arsenal. 6 FA Cups would be nice and more thropies to follow……Give us a rough chance at the Champions League if the cards fall right.
Please note I’ve added Alexis to my list of Arsenal favs … along with Brady, George, Bergkamp, Ozil and Alexis. Probably a bit too much weight to the current era but I love anyone in the Arsenal shirt.
The Man Utd game is on a Monday night? What a dumb time to put it on.
Just seen video of the Chelsea idiots on Sky Sports News.
The world is full of prejudice, violence and conflict. People are no longer shocked at news of rocket attacks or the shelling of civilians in big cities. People die in large numbers but shoulders are scarcely shrugged in response.
However, whenever any one individual is abused in clear detail, in any way, it always hammers home the pain and disgust of one human being harming another.
Most Chelsea supporters would probably not dream of behaving in this way.
It is sad for Chelsea as a club, that the attitude they bring to everything they do, makes it not in the least bit surprising that this act was perpetrated by them.
I love anyone in the Arsenal shirt.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/harry-kane-arsenal-shirt-again-5130669
?
😉
What the chavs are claiming now: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2958453/Chelsea-fan-claims-supporters-prevented-black-man-getting-train-full.html
Issue at hand:
Ransacking Palace.
With the hair gel having taken care of the offensive side of things Chamakh now seems to be taking defensive measures.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/row-zed/marouane-chamakhs-mask-best-ridiculous-5165023
Man U cup game is now live on BBC 1 on the Monday night. 7.45pm kick off.
Don’t you just love the way these companies think of the travelling fans???
This puts it all quite well. Us fans???? No one gives a flying fuck. The FA and TV companies should hang their collective corporate heads in shame.
http://www.givemesport.com/547423-arsenal-fans-forced-to-swallow-outrageous-fa-cup-scheduling?autoplay=on
Hello ‘holics,
How’s everyone doing? Been a while since I stepped into the bar
Mancs away is a tough draw but I guess we had to face them at some stage
I am really looking forward to the Monaco fixture, if we can get into the quarters there, it should be fun
Anyway, hope all is well with the wonderful ‘holics on here
Cheers
Champions League weeks are deadly when you have no interest whatsoever in the matches. Reckon Sky did well to get out from under this pile of shite next season, I just hope they give us some football league to watch on CL nights as an alternative.
Massive yawn.
Martin W @ 123/124 – it is indeed an utter disgrace.
It is going to be more expensive for me to attend that game in Manchester than it was for me to see Arsenal in Anderlecht.
Both the FA and the BBC are publicly funded bodies. And are screwing us around in exactly the same shitty way as Sky do regularly with League fixtures.
And there is absolutely no excuse for it. None.
I’m with you Snowy. The BBC are also showing the Midlands Derby Game which could have easily fitted into the Monday night slot with no inconvenience to any one.
It looks as though the Club are looking into the possibility of alternative travel arrangements ? special trains, just a hint on the web site.
Was hoping to make this game but looks as though it will be a night in front of the box.
COYRs
Fans, Snowy, Reggie? Which rock have you been hiding under? Get out there and buy a shirt and a cable subscription like the good paying-through-the-nose customers you are meant to be…
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>