Liverpool Whooped, Four Sure – A Guest Post From Lars
Apr 4th, 2015 by 'holic
A huge thanks to our very own Lars for a report on today’s match which enables me to visit the grandholics tomorrow morning. Thank you sir, and I hope all of you are as fortunate as I to be seeing some special people for Easter.
Before kickoff there were several things to worry about for those so inclined. An interlull had passed, it was an early start and we had Anthony Taylor in charge of the game. But as it turned out there was no need to worry. A 15-minute stretch of the first half apart, there only ever looked to be one winner.
The home team started very much on the front foot. Our old invincible Kolo Toure, filling in for the suspended Martin Skrtel, struggled badly to keep up with the pace, and only a couple of minutes into the game he was robbed by Olivier Giroud who set up Aaron Ramsey for a great chance which he probably should have done better from, but credit also to Simon Mignolet for a fine save.
Arsenal continued to dominate but slowly the scale started to tip in favour of the away team. Raheem Sterling was clearly under instructions to target Per Mertesacker and try to challenge him for speed, and Arsenal quickly noticed this and Laurent Koscielny started playing closer to Per. However, this gave Liverpool more space to operate to our left and Lazar Markovic really should have done better than overhitting his pass by a full yard when all he had to do was roll the ball sideways to give Raheem Sterling an empty net.
Having had that lucky escape seemed to wake Arsenal up. Loose balls were again snapped up by players in red and white and Liverpool were put on the back foot. In the 37th minute the dominance paid off when Hector Bellerin curled a really nice low finish with his left foot just inside the post after having made his way into the area from the right in collaboration with Aaron Ramsey. That is now two goals for the season for the young Spaniard who keeps improving game by game.
Not two minutes later it was once again time for Mignolet to pick the ball out of the back of the net. Mamadou Sakho very clumsily brought Mesut Özil down, and the German took the ensuing free kick himself and curled a left-footed shot into almost exactly the same spot as Bellerin had just hit. Question marks have to be raised here for Mignolet’s positioning, but it was still a very fine shot. 2-0 and a matter of seeing this through until half time?
Not at all. Arsenal continued to win every lose ball and cause havoc all over the pitch. Just before half time this paid off when Hector Bellerin got the ball after Sakho had been pressed into hitting the ball away in blind panic, and Bellerin found Ramsey who with his first touch set himself up to play the ball into Alexis who shifted the ball slightly to his right (and in the process made Kolo Toure fall flat on his arse) and then absolutely twatted the ball into the net from the edge of the penalty area. Mignolet had no chance on the shot which was simply too quick for him to react.
Liverpool tried the only thing they could for the second half. They brought on the presumably not entirely fit Daniel Sturridge and switched from a back three to a back four to try and change things. It didn’t really have much of an effect, and but for a great save by Mignolet, Olivier Giroud would have added to the scoreline before Liverpool rather needlessly were given a penalty when Hector Bellerin after about 75 minutes showed a rare glimpse of his inexperience when he brought down Sterling in the area. Jordan Henderson converted the penalty which Ospina got a hand to but couldn’t keep out.
Prior to this Arsene Wenger had been forced to replace Laurent Koscielny and Aaron Ramsey with Gabriel and Mathieu Flamini respectively. There is no real news yet on the extent of the injuries which forced them off, so we will have to wait and see. Any worries that the Liverpool goal would cause a wobble in the home team proved misplaced. If anything Arsenal picked their game up, and perhaps it was also a case of Liverpool not really believing in themselves despite having got a goal back.
Arsenal added insult to injury when Olivier Giroud smashed home a curled shot from the edge of the area in added time to seal a fine win against a team who were by then down to ten after Emre Can had been given his marching orders for a second yellow in the 85th minute by Anthony Taylor.
Ah, yes, Anthony Taylor – did you notice how I have not mentioned him that much up until this stage? That in itself is probably credit to his performance, because he had a really good game today. Credit where credit is due.
All in all a very fine display by the boys in red and white. A player I have yet to mention but who deserves plaudits is Francis Coquelin. Once more he patrolled the area in front of the back four and very rarely strayed out of position. I could go through the whole team and commend them all for a fine performance, but Coquelin together with Özil and Alexis were the star performers for me today. Alexis harried and chased the away players and got a great goal as well, and Özil was just immense.
Three very good points in the bag and a top four finish looks increasingly likely. For the time being we are in second place as we await Manchester City’s visit to Selhurst Park on Monday. Any points dropped by City will see us remain second, so come on Palace!
153 Responses to “Liverpool Whooped, Four Sure – A Guest Post From Lars”
I’m tipsy.
And happy.
Not grumpy.
And Sleepy.
Not Sneezy.
Lars report dwarfs mine in comparison.
UTA. 😎
Taylor was ok apart from a couple of blatantly poor decisions. Giving a foul when Alexis was away after winning the ball, stopping the game for a “head injury” when we were free and clear and had them hopelessly outnumbered and … he probably should have given Bellerin a second yellow but we’ll gloss over that one 😉
Good write up though, Lars, cheers.
Second?!?!
Great write up Lars.
Last year I sat in my sitting room and watched the early kick off in Anfield as Suarez and co proceeded to dismantle us with a powerful first half performance where everything went right for them. And the fucking hullaballoo afterwards in the media was as though they’d won major silverware. In the overall scheme of things, the game had no real significance.
This year, I am sitting in the same room. There’s a warm glow from the stove and I have nice ball of malt on the go. Not only have we smashed the ‘Pool to repay last season’s spanking, but we have in the process, ended their CL ambitions. It is a much more significant result because there are serious ramifications as a result. And the silence in the media is a source of great comfort.
And now Kristin Scott Thomas and Juliet Binochet are wafting across my TV screen as if this day couldn’t be any more perfect……
Greetings from the bottom of the bottle.
No sleep ’til Turf Moor.
Nice write-up Lars, and while I don’t think anyone stood out particularly I agree about Alexis and Le Coq being our best. Plus a mention for OspinO.
Özilla had a bit of a curate’s egg of a game for mine, mostly wasteful and holding up the attack but a lovely goal – as were all the goals, four smashers – but that’s no criticism of him. After two full games in the lull he was entitled to be a little off the pace.
We could have been three goals up in the first five minutes. Or two down after 30! But three goals in the last 8 first-half minutes and the whole of the second half was relatively worry-free. Thank Dennis.
Öskar
Not The English Patient again, Joe? Does Almasy finally make it back to the cave in time to save Kristin?
Öskar
Oskar. I’m sure we would have scored five had Theo been in there. 😉
Lars. Great report. With Cynic’s reservations taken into account I agree with your assessment of Taylor’s game. But I still think he is a c*nt. 🙂
Who is Lars?
Thanks Lars.
Fabulous result and, generally, a performance to match. Even if Liverpool hadn’t buggered up their big chance I still feel we would have gone on to win.
My only worry watching the game was Ramsey who seemed to be stuck out wide right for a lot of the time in a game of his own – but then he was also involved in two of the goals so what do I know?
I thought Taylor got the Bellerin calls ok – Sterling was past him but not directly at goal and I’m not sure he was the last man so a penalty / no card seemed right. My impression was that Can got his first yellow for dissent and if you’re that un-professional then you deserve to go later on.
The match pundits here in Oz were Robbie Slater ( predicted a Liverpool draw) and Mark Bosnich ( predicted a Liverpool win) – Ha Ha Ha. Idiots wherever you go, all over the globe. I can’t wait to hear little Stevie Nicol explain this one away on ESPN later.
On to Burnley.
UTA.
taylor had a decent game, given his standard. but the final 30 mins is the real him, trying to keep liverpool in the game… one incident being sanchez got a legit tackle in, got the ball and was starting a promising counter… and taylor stopped the game immediately. The other incident is when welbeck turned the defender, and was going start another promising attack, only for the game to be stopped for a ankle “injury” (the player was clutching his ankle).
Both clearly shows what taylor wanted… to make sure liverpool stays in the game and make the game more unpredictable. thankfully we stay focus and limit their chances 😀
on the other hand… did bellerin deserve a second yellow? not too sure about that~
If it was a penalty, blackfoox, and it was, then it was worth a yellow. Did it deserve a sending-off? No. The penalty was as much as the crime merited, so not giving him a second yellow was generous and to be commended. On balance I think Taylor got it right.
The stoppage when Henderson went down was one of those where refs are damned if the do and damned if they don’t. He thought it was a head injury, but he was wrong. What I do NOT want to see is players feigning head injuries every time they lose the ball. That is akin to diving in my book.
His one mistake, imo, was in hauling Alexis back when he was clear through for a foul he didn’t commit. But one big mistake in a game isn’t a bad score for any ref. And he made a number of good ones, so I have no complaints.
Öskar
On a different note…
Its really disappointing to see arsenal’s supporters so divided about wenger. I agree he has some deficiencies particularly desire (not ability (see ramsey at rw in this game !)) to change tactics between the game. This has all been blown out of proportions due to the fact arsenal were top 4 every year and couldnt springboard on to bigger things.
But really the guy lost vanpersie, fabregas and nasri in two years and still kept arsenal in the top4. Thats like the creativity and goal scoring in two consectuive seasons. But still he got us in top4 while tottenham and liverpool have been given soooooo much slack for losing bale and suarez (thats just goal scoring) and despite spending like 120 million. Agree that we blew up in 2008, 2003 and even in 2011 but still!
Come on guys we need to be strong and support wenger in every situation. He is possibly the best we could get (possibly with exception of guardiola!).
PS I agree the timing of comment is really convenient for akb’s but its more likely to lead to a constructive discussion now…:)
Cheers Lars! Proper day out. Ozil pure class and fuck the scousers.
Nice write up lars.dont think iv ever been more relaxed watching us play against one of the so called bigger teams never in doubt.we are a thing of beauty when we find our rhythm.also iv got to eat my words regarding nacho monreal I thought he was shite he’s proven me wrong with some stellar performances over the last couple of months. Happy Easter all.
Excellent substitution Guvnor. Have a nice day with the family.
Fine performance with the write-up Lars.
Only one complaint – no chevrons. The time this phone is taking to refresh, I could have spent days waiting on my own in the last bar.
COYG
Gars, two months don’t do Nacho’s performances any justice. He’s been solid all season methinks.
Frank it’s taken him time to convince me he wasn’t a bad player tbh,glad for him and us.gibbs has a battle on his hands to get his place back I’m a big admirer of Gibbs.
Fine write up, Lars. Ozil and Alexis showed why they are worth the big money. Who’d have predicted at the start of the season that Ospina, Bellerin and Monreal would have been starting games towards the end of it — on merit?
And what is all this Arsenal scoring from distance? Wenger aht.
Data point for Monreal v Gibbs: Nacho has 16 international caps to Kieran’s seven, for a Spain side that is much harder to get into than England.
Nbn that said Ashley cole had the lb sewn up for donkeys now Gibbs will have a better chance to get more caps,will nacho get many more with alba in his pomp?
@oskar
from my understanding, yellow cards are not given in such situation unless the player deliberately goes for the player. or red if the defender is the last man. take ytd chelsea game for example, the stoke defender completely caught fabregas on the ankle, a penalty is given and no yellow card was issued.
If Sakho can go straight through the back of Ozil (for the free kick which he despatched with aplomb) and not a get yellow card, it would have been absolutely fucking ludicrous for Bellerin to get a yellow card, for what was a simple foul in the box.
I agree but with it being in the box and resulting in a penalty, it’s a routine yellow for today’s refs. But then we grew up on Leeds, when they could hack at your players with a machete and the ref would go, “Oh, you BOYS!” and run off.
Great day out, lovely game to watch and my hero Hector scored the first of 4 terrific goals. My heart was in my mouth watching Taylor, thinking he might give Bellerin a second yellow but all was well.
There were a number of stand out performances but Le Coq was dominant in the MF and the attacking players were at their destructive best. I also thought Rambo looked out of place stuck out on the right hand side. I didn’t like the look of him when he was subbed, I fear we might loose him for the usual 3 weeks.
We really are playing some great football and have a lot to look forward to between now and the Cup Final! Hope all of you who applied got lucky with Semi-Final tickets.
Network Rail’s engineering programme and no parking facilities at Cambridge are giving the Kings Lynn Gooners travel problems on the 18th but we will be there one way or another.
On to Burnley and 3 more points.
COYRs
Excellent match report Lars. A wonderful way to re-live yesterday’s fabulous day out at THOF.
Onwards.
Excellent Lars.
What, roughly, does it cost these days to add two top class players to your team ?
Whatever your answer is, it will be more than it has cost us to add Hector Bellerin and Francis Coquelin this season.
£0.00 in round, and precise, numbers.
That could mean we have the resources in the summer to win “the race” for Morgan Schneiderlin or Marco Reus.
Any additional DM should be competition for Coquelin, by the way, not a replacement. He has been absolutely outstanding in his first half-season in the position. His self discipline positionally and in the tackle have improved beyond measure from those first few games. Yesterday’s performance was immense.
Özil had an outstanding game yesterday too, as did Alexis and almost everyone else. In the first half he ran a diagonal from box to box to close down a Liverpool attacker while Monreal recovered.
Off the pace ? Not for me, but I didn’t have the benefit of a giant plasma screen to watch it on. 😉
Well played Lars.
And well played Arsenal.
I’m in the middle of a relocation at the moment so I’ll have to catch up another time.
Here’s wishing all of you and yours a pleasant Easter Holiday.
Cheers all!
Afternoon all.
Football fans are a funny and fickle breed. After a great performance, four great goals and now a nine point gap between us and the dippers I’m quite simply amazed at the amount of people that want to talk about the ref??? Why?? The fact that there are differing opinions in the 30 or so posts above tell you it’s not an exact science. ESSO at 23 tells you all you need to know. There ref had an excellent game. The point Esso makes tells you that he was consistent all game. Those who want to find fault after that game I would suggest need to find another way of getting your kicks.
OTD. “Özilla had a bit of a curate’s egg of a game for mine, mostly wasteful and holding up the attack but a lovely goal.”
Do you still have the receipt for that tele of yours? If you do then put it back in its box and take it back. It’s clearly fucked. I know you don’t like Özil but from block 4, row 19 he was excellent. I know from those I spoke to after the match and from other comments in the media that I’m not alone (for once) in my views. He made an awful lot of the good stuff tick.
The game itself was excellent. A great crowd and a great atmosphere. I still turn up to games wondering which Arsenal I will be watching. For the majority of yesterday it was the Arsenal that I know and love. A great team performance all round.
Bellerin showed exactly what he is. A young lad with great talent and even greater potential. He took his goal superbly. The defensive part of his game is coming on leaps and bounds. The penalty decision was correct and was the result of a poor and rash challenge. Hopefully that will just form another part of his development and is now confined to the history books
Le Coq showed again what we have been missing. He reads the game superbly and has also seemed to have learnt from rash chalkenges made earlier on in the season. His distribution is something that has a tendency to let him down but again, this is something he can work on.
A convincing win and 4 great goals. The mood in the pub after was joyous and full of frivolity. The sun was almost out and the mood excellent. It was great to spend a few hours in the company of many learned and esteemed holics, who all enjoyed the ale and merriment on offer. I thank you all for adding richly to my day.
To anyone else heading to The Grove on Tuesday for the Under 21 match then I along with my offspring will see you there. If not then I know there are several Holics heading up to Burnley on Saturday. Hopefully our paths will cross somewhere at Turf Moor.
Enjoy the rest of the Easter weekend people. Holic, enjoy the younguns. I hope the Wolverhampton contingent having glowing reports of young Afobe.
Lars, top report sir. Well done. I look forward to sharing a glass or two before the season ends.
Up the Gunners.
For Zico@1.
In a recent survey published in the media here it was discovered that 6 out of 7 dwarfs weren’t Happy.
Just saying. 😉
You saw it as I did, Lars. Great report. Outstanding day out, four of the best goals I’ve ever seen in any one game.
Ozil is an outstanding talent. MoTM yesterday.
For Christ’s sake, the Spuds have handed the captain’s armband to Harry Kane at Turfmoor. For Easter, they wanted to kit him up in an all white robe to go with his halo, but it was not allowed….
Ozil is indeed an outstanding talent, and had a very good game, but Coquelin was Man of the Match, BtM.
Good to see you back in here and on form, SteveT. 🙂
He’ll be waiting for a cross, Jean
Harry Kane inspires Tottenham to draw in tricky away match. Is there nothing the man can’t do?
COYG
Great post Steve T. Ozil was classy on my plasma. Excellent team performance.
Excellent report Lars.
Rambo on the right wing must have been a deliberate tactical choice and I thought it worked well, even though Rambo betrayed a lack of sharpness (he had earlier left the field in the mid-week playing for Wales with what had looked like some injury as per the match reporters). Maybe it was a tactical choice that also kept in mind the fact of his less than hundred percent fitness for if he were deployed centrally he would have run himself ragged soon and any mistakes would be costlier. He stayed on the right, linked up very well with Bellerin and playing a clever decoy role to use Hector’s pace and also cut-off the supply line down Liverpool’s left flank (Moreno-Sterling etc.) which protected Per who was predictably targeted. He also had two assists, the turn and pass t Alexis for the second of which was excellent.
Cazorla at his interview published today had particularly singled out the collective defending as the main reason for our wins and great form. And I cannot agree more. The team has realized that as long as we don’t let in stupid goals we are most likely to win as we will always score some goals. That combination of collective confidence and right focus and prioritization by the entire team is how Arsene’s great teams were built, and this one is not too far away from being one.
Oskar — Ozil had shown some signs of fatigue early on. There was a long-range cross-field from Alexis which spun away from his feet, and once or twice his passing was not as accurate — Santi had the same problem at the beginning with a very poor giveaway or two from deeper positions that could have been dangerous on another day — but he started to get better and ended the game very well. He started the move for the first goal with a delightful pass to Rambo, earned the free-kick and scored the goal for the second, and was instrumental in bringing the ball forward quite a few times from the defense.
Bellerin, the penalty excluded, was really superb. Apart from the penalty he didn’t give Sterling much of a whiff especially after Sterling moved to left following Sturridge’s entrance. His very well-taken goal was crucial and he showed some great tactical maturity in choosing to overload the midfield in moments of need and then quickly move off horizontally.
Excellent report, Lars.
Enjoy the day, all.
great stuff, Lars, holic knows how to deputize.
Steve t., everything you said, and that from a 42″ lcd in the predawn light (during a total lunar eclipse, too). Glad you’re back and (apparently) satisfied with our width.
Happy Easter, all. A case of Veuve, a crate of oranges, and a squeezer for anyone interested in having a mimosa…
Lars,
First- class report and the usual suspects ( except the Guvna) have said everything that needs to be said. One point re OTD’s comments on Bellerin.
Bellerin was already on a booking when he brought down Sterling so could have gone . It would have been a second yellow if he had given it but for once Taylor used some discretion. It wasn’t dangerous, it wasn’t a clear goal- scoring position , he didn’t abuse the ref after the decision it was simply a foul and you don’t have to book someone just for a foul. It wouldn’t have been a booking outside the penalty area so it wasn’t one inside. I get fed up when these commentators suggest every foul that concedes a penalty is bookable . The penalty is sanction enough.
Pangloss makes a good point re Harry but even the Saint like one who was robbed of a goal playing for England because he wasn’t good enough couldn’t inspire the Swampies to a win.
I feel St. Totteringham’s Day coming on apace!
Buy me that long promised pint, Zico nd I’ll debate MoTM. Coquelin was excellent and has been since his return to the fold.
http://rabonamag.com/a-gentle-genius/
Great write up Lars.
I saw exactly the same game as yourself and Steve T. Ozil was immense yesterday, a total joy to watch.
COYG
Esso,
thanks for that link, sums my thoughts about Mesut up pretty much perfectly, he is just such a likable character to me and I am still chuffed he plays for Arsenal, long may his form continue…..and I really hope Theo solves himself up to push himself to starting line-up, its almost two seasons and we have only seen glimpses of Ozil-Walcott combination on the field in early days after Mesut signed for us.
I really want to see those two play in the same team while being on top form, that prospect is mouthwatering. Alright..back to my wine.
Day one of the Easter tour survived. Golf tomorrow with the grand’holics for the first time.
Lars, a huge thanks to you. I most certainly would not have had time to write this morning, and I was far too pissed last night 🙂
Oh, and Ozil was oziliant 🙂
Okay, I am outnumbered by Özealots as usual. But I still don’t get it. He may have finished the game well, Dr F, but he put in a very average performance prior (bar the cracking free of course). I suspect many here view him with a far less critical eye than he deserves at times. Anyway, I didn’t say he was bad, just that he wasn’t as good as Alexis and Le Coq who were outstanding, or even Hector the Protector and OspinO for that matter.
I am still expecting more from a player with his talent. But what would this blog be if we all agreed on everything, aye.
Öskar
Great match report Lars! And well-posted holic!
I hope you fellow gooners enjoyed that match as much as I did.
I was as happy as a pig in mud during the game and got so drunk that I couldn’t function properly for the rest of the weekend 😀
UTA
Someone was sent off for throwing grass in the Barcelona match?
Perhaps the ref thought he’d pulled a blade..
lol@Cynic 😀
Was he testing the wind direction before a free, Cynic? That’s definitely cheating!
Öskar
Good to see Wenger getting praise for the pragmatism of this team, who since the New Year play much better without the ball. People talk about his appetite but ŷear after year he gets the team focused at the sharp end of the season to finish the campaign well. He always get a good reaction from the team after the media sense a crisis. It’s something he still does brilliantly.
I was very tough on him in the summer for not buying a centre back ( and Chambers who had never played there in his life is not an adequate centre back) and had we obtained Gabriel then we might genuinely be right in the mix for the title not about six points short- maybe those defeats at Stoke and Swansea might not have happened with deeper defensive resources. But credit where it’s due, Gabriel looks exactly what we needed and he has also been brave enough to blood Bellerin and deploy Coquelin. Few other top managers show that faith in youth.
Next season we have the makings of a great squad. The two big question marks for me are ( if it is true that the Biard are restricting spending to £ 50 million) whether bids for Walcott and Wilshere will price tempting to Wenger. Their homegrown status will make them particularly appealing to the likes of Manchester City and even Chelsea who don’t blood their English players despite having vaunted youth squads. This ups their price. Walcott is theoretically in his prime and although he will never play a full season he must be worth £25 million to a top club looking for homegrown players. Exactly the same could be said of Wilshere who is no longer a starter in this team even if he were fit. His Arsenal DNA which was so evident as a lad has got a bit contaminated by the Big Time Charlie DNA that inevitably finds its way into the veins of young, impressionable and rich superstars.
If Wenger does decide to follow his example of the last two seasons and buy a world class player or two then the cash from these two who are scarcely fit anyway might come in handy.
Or he may , thrifty as he is, look to pick up Cabaye for £ 10 million, bring on Chuba Akpom to supplement Giroud and Welbeck and bring a fit Gnabry back into the fold and balance the books. Or he may give them a chance as squad players next season and make them fight for their places. Personally I think his loyalty to both players while evident is not inexhaustible. And with Crowley and Zelalem in the wings?
Big decisions but much to play for before he takes them
I’d be more confident in AW’s loyalty to Theo, Ttg, if he actually played him occasionally so he could prove his value. It’s not like the guy he prefers in his place ever scores enough to justify the loyalty he gets. Still hasn’t scored a single Prem goal this year ffs. Worse than Jeffers and TGSTEL in the area, imo.
Öskar
Something else AW has quietly changed having an English back bone to the team, even if injury partly forced him into it. But none of the three Ws, Wilshere, Walcott and Welbeck, nor Gibbs, Chambers nor the Ox would be first choices now even if fit.
Some sums: We need 13 points from our final seven games to be mathematically certain of fourth and all 21 to be certain of third.
@TTG
Interesting thoughts.
My personal hope is that he doesn’t mess about with the squad too much this summer.
A goalkeeper, a Schneiderlin and maybe another midfielder for the squad. That’s all we need, assuming Theo signs da ting.
Wenger has said many times previously that there’s a cost to too much transfer activity, and I think we saw that at the start of the season, just as we did two years earlier – as much as we missed players through injury it also took time to bed the new players down and find some fluency, particularly going forward.
Flamini will leave this summer. It looks very much as if Woj will too. I guess Rosicky also has to finish at some point, although it still feels like he has another year or two in him yet. Theo may well go.
The squad is so very nearly complete, and has grown together since Xmas. A nip here, a tuck there and we’re good. Bar the players named above I hope we resist the urge for further changes – I think it’ll give us a better chance to really hit the ground running in August and carry over our excellent end of season form.
In an ideal world: Petr Cech, Morgan Schneiderlin and a cheapish versatile midfielder we’ve never heard of before (I reckon Arsene can locate one of those in a pinch). £50m spent, all squad holes filled and off we go.
Very excited for the run in this season, the prospect of giving the scousers another hiding at Wembley and then on to glory next season.
One Arsene Wenger.
COYG
Oh, and one other thing: Brendan Rodgers is generally regarded as one of the better “tacticians” in the country, but yesterday our manager had him for breakfast, not for the first time at the Emirates.
The high press on their back line (who couldn’t pass for toffee under pressure), Ramsey on the right wing (didn’t always work for me, but he ended up with two assists) and a straight off the training ground set piece goal.
We’re often told “Wenger doesn’t do tactics”. Never was that statement shown to be more daft than on Saturday. Wenger doesn’t TALK about tactics, unlike a certain Mr Rodgers, who is never shy to blow his own trumpet and talk us all through his workings after a win.
Thanks for the report, Lars!
Almost as satisfied with that one as the result in itself.
N7
Right with you mate. Very much agree that a minimum of tinkering is desirable but also feel a bit of new blood refreshes the squad. Cabaye, and Cech would do for me. I suspect we may see the departure of Diaby and Flamini but Rosicky is still so valuable to the squad. Wilshere is the wild card( in more senses than one) . Despite OTD’s reservations I have been delighted with Welbeck and Wenger may feel Akpom needs a senior loan so a striker may come in. But too much tinkering will be counterproductive and frankly unnecessary.
Thanks again for the kind words about my report.
Steve, really happy to see you contribute more regularly to the bar again. If we make the cup final the plan is to fly over for that one, we’ll have to make sure to share a beverage then.
N7, spot on about David Brent. He’s one of those managers who takes credits for wins but blames players for defeats. Arsene Wenger is, if anything, the other way around – he credits the players for wins and takes the blame upon himself for defeats. I honestly think this has been damaging to his reputation outside of the club, but guess which method gets players to work harder for you? Let me give you a hint: it ain’t the David Brent approach…
@ttg
Agree with all of that.
The only way I think Wilshere will move this summer is if a real central midfield superstar becomes available and Arsene is sure we can get him. And the only player who seems possible to fit that bill right now is Paul Pogba.
I think it’s a long shot, but otherwise I reckon Wilshere will stay. I sort of hope he does because it would be great to see him realise his potential with us.
@Lars
Totally agree.
See also Jose Mourinho. His medical team put him at the top of the injury table all season, then Costa finally pulls something and he’s publicly making it clear that they told him he was OK to play.
Try living with our witch doctors, Jose – you don’t know you’re born, you big mug.
I’d be more confident in AW’s loyalty to Theo, Ttg, if he actually played him occasionally so he could prove his value.
He’s gone mate, get used to the idea. I have. If you can’t get off the bench at 3-0 up at home, no matter who the opposition is, when you supposedly have a confidence problem and could use the playing time for a relatively easy 20 minutes or so, you’re never going to be used.
I bet if he signed his contract he’d be used a lot more though. Echoes of last time.
“I bet if he signed his contract he’d be used a lot more though”
Hhhhmmmmm don’t know about that Cynic. Theo is not just second place to Sanchez, he’s third place to Oxlade and even possibly 4th choice winger behind Welbz if, for example, Cazorla plays at 10 and Ozil moves to left wing. Theo needs to change his game to fit in. And I’m not so sure he has it in his locker to do that. Will he toughen up? Will he work on the defensive side to his game? Scoring goals is not enough. Just look at Poldi.
For all our injuries and bad luck at the start, this season has been a revelation in terms of what is now acceptable or expected from front players. And for that alone, I think this season has been a massive success.
N7 – Will Woj go? Interesting. I would usually have said no considering how much time and effort we have put into Woj to date and given Cechs propensity to mouth off about the club in the past. However, with Wenger having only two more years on his contract, maybe he’ll ask himself if he’s more likely to win a CL with Woj or with Cech between the sticks? Of course the two are not mutually exclusive of each other – but it would require an element of understanding by Woj to stand down and be Cech’s sidekick for a couple of years. If he’s smart he’ll swallow his pride and see it as an opportunity to learn. He’s still very young. Or would he rather be playing regular first team footie for someone like Swansea ala Fabianski? If Cech becomes available for the right money, I feel we will have very little option but to move for him. I believe he would strengthen our defence. While we won comfortably in the end at the weekend, we could just as easily have found ourselves 2 goals down and chasing the game. There’s a big call with a new keeper this summer. And there’s a big call with Per Mertesacker too I feel.
@Joe
My suspicions re: Woj are based partly on the fact that he keeps being absent from our bench due to minor injuries, and also his body language during the win at OT. I think he and Arsene have fallen out in a big way. Could be wrong.
Re: Per, I would keep him. He has his weaknesses, but there’s no situ that he and Kos are a formidable partnership when played together, and there’s no guarantee that a replacement would gel to the same extent. This is kind of what I’m talking about above re: the cost of squad fiddling.
Given that Wenger has two years left on his deal, and that the likes of Kos, Per, Santi and Giroud are all approaching 30 next season is our window of opportunity. If we don’t win it next term we’ll need to refresh the first team and that will probably cost us another transition season, knowing the way we operate. I’d be looking to make relatively few changes to the first XI this summer in the hopes that the cohesive unit we now have in place can’t maintain their current run of form through a full season.
N7,
Think you might have a point about Woj – although I did see reports that he had genuinely hurt himself in training.
I think everyone loves Per to bits. But he has had a poor season by his standards. And yes, having a myriad of different combinations playing in defence cannot be good for continuity. The difficulty I have with Per, is that he must play deep to be effective and has to rely on his reading of the game because of his lack of pace. And it limits us. Not just in terms of the personnel we play, but it also limits us in terms of the formations we can adapt to. For example, I don’t think we can play a high line effectively with Per in the side unless we risk being caught the counter. And it has caught us out so many times this season. And despite what we want to feel about the weekend, it almost caught us out then too if we want to be honest with ourselves.
It’ll be interesting to see what transpires.
That’s all very fair, Joe – can’t disagree with any of it.
Think the key is Gabriel. If he proves to be as good as we hope then we have a quick alternative to Per when the situations demands.
The fixation about Ozil and his performances will never cease and i really do now want to comment on it and instead be happy that he plays for us.
Even though the late surge has made many sit up and say well Arsenal are in with a shout for the league, i rather be happy with finishing 3rd and winning the cup. Throw in defeating, wait pulverising chelsea, i am a happy camper. League can wait for next season, no excuses then.
Theo is done. I mean as rightly pointed out, even with the team winning 3-0 at home if he doesnt get a look in and instead Danny who was not fully fit before the game, gets to play, it looks curtains.
News in the papers though indicate theo may get another contract extension but for me if its a right offer and especially if we can use him in a player plus cash deal and get a CB/DM or even a GK, we should sell him then.
The daft thing is that Wenger is talking about buying a player who can get 15 goals, he’s got one on the bench and won’t use him. Oh well.
Good to see that some of you have been paying attention to my recent posts. To repeat from some weeks ago :-
1) Walcott will go this summer.
2) Sir Ches will go this summer but we will not buy Cech – the Arse could never field a player who wears a girlie rugby hat.
3) We will not buy Schneiderlin – he is an average journeyman with one half of a good season behind him – we will get someone much better.
4) Wilshere is the new Diaby – on the books but forever injured.
And a new one :-
5) Diaby is the new Diaby. His stars have aligned and in 2015/16 he will be like a new signing. Just like Peter Marinello once was.
Nostradamus has spoken and these things will come to pass.
Right, I’ve just had a look at the league table to see if Chelsea can possibly secure the league title at the Emirates. And if my calculations are correct, they can do that if results go their way up until then. To secure the title mathematically in that game, they have to be 16 points clear of us (both us and Chelsea will have five remaining games after that one) and 13 clear of ManU and ManCity who will have four remaining when the full-time whistle blows.
First of all, regardless of any other results, Chelsea will have to win all three including the game at the Emirates. They can not extend their lead far enough for a draw to be enough before that game. Winning all three is of course not at all impossible for them, so what can we do to stop them in other games?
At present, they have seven, eight and nine points respectively on us, ManU and ManCity. That means they must extend their lead to 13, 10 and 10 points respectively before we play them. That means that we have it in our own hands to stop Chelsea from winning the title at our place even before that game – beat Burnley and Chelsea can not be more than 10 points ahead of us going into the game. Actually, even one point at Burnley means Chelsea will be at most 12 points ahead of us before the game which will not be enough.
But should we fuck up at Turf Moor there are other lifelines. City, who play their 31st game tonight, have four games to play before we play Chelsea. Those four games are Palace and ManU away followed by West Ham and Villa away – so six points from those games will also mean Chelsea can not win it at the Emirates.
ManU will have played three times, and those three are City (h), Chelsea (a) and Everton (a). That means ManU can also stop Chelsea from winning it at our place by either at least drawing at Stamford Bridge OR by beating both City and Everton.
There is very little chance of Chelsea fucking up before they play ManU, however, as their game next weekend is QPR away.
So there we have it: avoid defeat at Burnley, and if we manage to fuck that up then hope either of ManU or ManC win five or six points respectively. Or that ManU draw v Chelsea. Or, of course , that we beat Chelsea at our place!
Nostradamus, a few comments – all my opinions, of course:
2) That is a rather sexist comment. And factually incorrect too, that is a helmet worn by male rugby players. It is also not his choice to wear it, he has to as his skull bone is weakened after Stephen Hunt decided to try to bash his head in.
3) Schneiderlin has been very good for two straight seasons.
Good stuff, ttg, N7, Joe.
Walcott is gone. It gives me no pleasure to say so – especially employing such bad grammar – but I’ve heard it from more than one very good source.
That probably means we can look forward to seeing him as captain of Arsenal FC next season but that’s not what I’ve heard.
NBN @56,
I’ve said more than once in here that a decision will have to be taken on the perennially injured if we are to mount a serious challenge for either of the two top trophies. That, sadly, amounts to all those British youngsters – well, they were two years ago – who were supposed to form the basis of the squad.
Your point is a good one and it seems that they are/have been all but replaced by stealth and some good promotions from within.
There was some hope last week that the entire squad was fit but, in the event, Gibbs, Wilshere, The Ox, Walcott and Diaby failed to make it onto the pitch. If memory serves, only Gibbs made it to the bench.
Only Ramsey started and, sadly, went off injured yet again. He didn’t have his best game but still managed to card two assists, although both left the eventual scorer with plenty to do.
A fit Ramsey would be a huge asset to the team and a fit Oxlade-Chamberlain promises to be a fantastic player.
Arsene Wenger is easily the most loyal, and best, manager in the league but, realistically, he has probably two years left. How many more chances will he risk in trying to play the game with a full hand ?
Since Ospina came in to the team Arsenal’s league record is 10 wins and 1 loss. Possibly not just a coincidence seeing as something similar could be said about Bellerin and Coquelin. Definitely not a coincidence to say that all three have been major contributors to that record.
Lots of very thoughtful posts.
Arsene in his latest interview for the Arsenal magazine talks about how managers get too much credit for victories as well as defeats. This whole media generated cult of per-game after-the-fact ‘tactical’ analysis — and to be honest many manager contributing to the false perception about its significance — oversimplifies (in a rather complicated way) the game of football to chalkboard diagrams whereas the greater appeal and charm are in the spontaneity and improvisation of the players, individually and as a collective. Arlene builds players and teams which know how to respond to situations — individually and as a member of the group — and not just follow some dictatorial directions or else…
Over the last so many years as our beloved team struggled to live up to the expectations created by the superlative successes of their predecessors as well as occasional glimpses into their own potential, while the club managed to high-wire act of financial prudence, CL presence and increased global appeal we had never tired of talking about all the alternatives in terms of signing and strategy that would complete the puzzle, or give us that extra 5% missing in terms of winning honors. “What if” was the prevalent mode of thinking, mostly wistful, but sometimes disenchanted and even despondent.
Those days are over. The team is reinvigorated. The club is out of the potential troubles it could have fallen into, and finances are strong, the global marketing penetration is significantly high, but most importantly our manager is unshackled by burden of having to make money from transfer windows. Two positive transfer windows, some what is looking to be effective revamping of the fitness team, and there we are the most in-form team in PL at the business end of the season. Not a coincidence.
So, my promise to myself and others is that even though there would be decisions that I won’t necessarily agree with (not because I know more or understand more, but disagreement is an inevitable outcome of human intellect) , or moves in the game or in transfer dealings I would think were mistakes, I will not worry or complain about those for the final chapter of Arsene’s stewardship. In middle of the summer of 11-12 or 12-13 even the most positive amongst us didn’t probably expect that in a couple of years time the team will undergo such a metamorphosis, in terms of playing personnel as well as commitment, motivation and collective intelligence. For the remainder of his tenure I am going to simply support the peerless manager who made such a turnaround possible and hope that he will leave us not only in robust health in all fronts (which he will) but also a few more honors added to his remarkable years with us.
He is not flawless, no one is. But he is peerless.
I meant Arsene, of course : “Arlene builds players” … please get out of my mind or my keyboard Arlene… 🙂
Sensitive nose. Could help when improvisation is needed. 🙂
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/20150405/-you-smell-that-we-can-score-goals-
Don’t be ashamed Dr F. Pangloss and I had a thing with Arlene a few weeks ago. That girl is a minx
TTG@79: Crossing swords with Pangloss, TTG? That is the wrong kind of threesome to be involved in. 🙂
But Voltaire might have approved…
Nostradamus – It IS a girly hat, but Wenger may sign him if he adds Mickey Mouse ears to the top of it.
Right. Where to start?
First, top stuff Lars.
The interlull ends, we play one great game of football and the Holic bar is back with a bang! Great drinking above me pretty much every post. Cheers and a Happy Easter to you all.
I do not know the medical reasons for Cech’s hat- I had assumed that it was his choice in the same way some rugby players choose to wear them and some do not. I do not think he has ever been as good wearing it as he was before the injury. Before the injury he was the next Buffon in my eyes. After the injury, and the hat, I think he has been excellent and at times world-class. But I had expected him to be better than that.
Personally, I know no girls who wear a Petr Cech protective-style hat. I do not think I have ever seen a woman wearing one of these (although I may have forgotten doing so- it does not sound a very memorable experience) ever in my life. If I buy my sister one of these for her birthday this year her response will not be “Oh, GSD, what a girly hat you have bought me. It’s just what I wanted, you clever dinosaur, you!”
I would, grudgingly, buy Cech if available. He can make the difference sometimes. That can win you a championship if the other ingredients are there too. Arsene would love a new Mad Jens or Safe Hands.
But Ospina has done too well in my eyes to be swallowed up in a Cech v Woj debate. Another three-way, perhaps? And what about Emi?
I do not care if Theo stays or goes. Which would have been an unspeakable statement for me the last time that his contract was up. I agree with those who allude to the improvement in the squad and I think that Theo is at the same level he has been for a while but two seasons ago that level made him indispensable- now it most certainly does not.
I love Danny Welbeck and fully expect his performances to improve continually as he plays more games in an Arsenal shirt. He has a great attitude. I thinks in front of goal he lacks confidence, not skill. And if Theo or Giroud or Ramsey are anything to go by there may well be more goals to come from Welbz (and Ox and LJW) in the fullness of time. Patience required but I think this one will be worth it.
I would keep Per but acknowledge the sense of Joe’s fantastic point about how his presence influences our high press and thus use Gabriel instead of him in certain games. I do think Per is quality though. Not just because I like him, which I do, but because he is throwback CB who relies on all the things CBs used to rely on that are now considered less important as people proffer us David Luiz as the new template for the position. Per reads the game and positions himself accordingly. And his half-turn tackle technique is second to none in the league. He kind of crouches side-on and gives players nowhere to put the ball. It gives him a huge leg-span. You can run past him but if you get close to him he ties you up and usually ends up with the ball.
Also, he gets Arsenal. He has a proper feel for the club- I think he joined at the right moment for him, personally and professionally, and has grown and learned a lot at the club. I think he feels the richness and value of this experience and is grateful and loyal towards the club as a result. Lucky us- top man. He is definitely a good mentor to younger players too.
Bellerin is immense. Monreal as well. And there are no signs of performance dipping when it matters most- our Coq just keeps on coming. Wayhay!
I agree with Trev about Rambo and Ox.
Rogers is like an inexperienced poker player who has misread the game and thinks he has the nuts when he does not. He plays his hand, confident in its infallibility and claims glory when he is not outdrawn or outgunned and blames exterior forces when he is. A silly man.
I like the look of Gabriel.
Great to have football back. Great to have Arsenal back. Great to have the bar in high spirits. There are more spirits on the bar for one and all… Enjoy Holics!
2-0 at Selhurst Park. Citeh imploding.
Palace 2 up, great free kick by Puncheon
Vive Le Palace!
😀
wow, 2-1 palace over city. woo hoo! we stay in second place…
Well done Palace 🙂
Sagna, Clichy and Nasri stunk the joint out.
Well that’s Citeh sorted! It’s only Chelsea left to catch now! Second is a real possibility if we keep our form. As for Citeh what a clusterfuck it has become. Pellegrini will be fired and they will desperately try to get Simeone and end up with Benitez!
Sadly Chelsea will stroll to the title and Mourinho will be acclaimed by a fawning media as a genius. Possibly he is but he proves you can be a genius and a scumbag .
btm, they’re our special agents, except nasri, he’s just a cunt.
TTG — Mourinho is to genius what a cockroach is to flying. Has the pretense of. 🙂
Let us just win all our matches, one game at a time…and if there is a very pleasant surprise at the end if it, grand!
Top 3 & retaining the cup will be a great season IMHO .
Actually feel sorry for Pellegrini.
Seems like a really nice man doing his best to answer questions that are clearly designed to incite.
Imagine trying to manage that bunch?
Did I read somewhere that its now 5 wins in 12 for Citeh?
Of course the real pity is we go off to such a poor start. The league was there for the taking this year.
Just win our game at Burnley.
Gary Twatty Nutty Neville showing that he doesn’t even understand FFP basics.
YES! @93 Dr F.
Reluctantly I have to agree with those who believe Theo is on his way. Unless AW is playing contract games with him, which I hope isn’t the case, it seems he’s permanently on the bench now, to be used solely as a desperation measure in the event we’re 3 goals down with ten to play.
And this regardless the present need to score goals to keep our GD competitive with those immediately below us. He’s only started 4 Prem games this season and scored in three of them. He has to be worth more starts than he’s getting surely? And don’t give me that defensive guff, unless you’re prepared to drop every forward/MF no better than he is in defence as well. 😉
If I was Theo I’d certainly go somewhere I could get a game while I was still under 30!
Disagree Oscar – TW not good enough to get into current Arsenal first eleven in my opinion (and Arsenes)!
We scored four against Liverpool FFS!
Should keep our GD healthy enough (its currently better than everyone bar Chelsea and Man City)
Anyway,good to see City lose to Palace – a draw at OT next week and a win for us at Turf Moor would be welcome indeed.
Those three points dropped at home to Man U seem even more infuriating now.
On this potentially, sort of, momentus night it seems fitting to pay tribute to a true Arsenal great but not, on this occasion, for anything he did while wearing the famous red and white shirt.
Tonight has seen the distinct possibility that we will finish the season in second place in the Premier League. As recently as January, around a mere twelve league games ago, this feat seemed an impossibility.
While our own fantastically consistent run has been a wonderful achievement of both manager and players, it would have meant little were it not for the begind the scenes efforts of Secret Agent Patrick Vieira.
Don’t be misled by that “Special Ambassador” nonsense, Paddy is clearly the true Director of Football at Middle Eastlands. In his role he has overseen the purchase of, possibly, Kolo Toure, Emmanuel Adebayor, Gael Clichy, Bacary Sagna and Samir Nasri, all of whom were either past their best, error prone or, in the case of the last named, just a complete cunt. And don’t forget the good work done by PV4 to get himself installed in the Manchester Sheikdom in the first place, at a time when he was almost no use to them whatsoever.
In return, City have purchased for us around 25% of our new stadium, which seems only fair as theirs, in turn, was given to them by the local authority.
As we at The Emirates now look down and smile on the likes of the replacements we have secured, – Bellerin, Koscielny, Monreal, Giroud and Alexis – for those departed, the $ity fans continue to turn their backs in Poznan imitated, grumbling appreciation of their own band of struggling mercenaries, should they manage the occasional goal.
Over the coming weeks they might be better continuing to face that way.
The Arsenal are coming.
Many great drinks above. I couldn’t agree more with GSD @82, Dr F @91, Joe @92, bt8 @ 93, BtM @94 and IF @96.
Feo simply does not offer enough for this team to get a starting position and it now seems that he doesn’t offer enough to get on as a sub when we are 3 goals to the good at home. GSD sums it up well. A few years ago losing Feo would have been both symbolically and footballistically harmful to Arsenal. In truth it was particularly the former after the departures of a certain trio. You can’t say the same now. This squad has progressed in that time. Unfortunately Feo has not and it’s not simply down to his recent injury. He’s a nice boy but still essentially a one trick pony with a clever turn, tremendous pace and a pretty reliable strike rate. I hope he signs as he can still have a part to play if he is willing to be part of the plan but he has a big challenge now to be a starter in this team. As does LJW while Santi maintains his form.
Saturday showed that the Arsenal are nearly back in business. Onwards.
COYGs
BtW, please don’t point out any possible chronological inaccuracies in @98, it will must spoil the whole thing. Ta. 😉
Ooh, a goal !
Cheers bath.
And indeed, good work GSD.
Nice theory and well in Trev. Hope all well.
“a clever turn, tremendous pace and a pretty reliable strike rate” – bath (#99).
That would make him a three-trick pony, bath. And dangerous to any defence.
Öskar
Spot on, Trev. Just f*cking amazing compared to only weeks back.
And well done Paddy!
Öskar
Those are the three components of his ‘one trick’ Oskar. Neither individually constitute enough to be a free-standing ‘trick’ in Merlin’s Book of Tricks. 🙂
It’s weird how whenever we get players injured for ages, they get better as players the longer they are absent, but with Theo people have very very short memories and he’s now rubbish.
I guess good results make absent players terrible and bad results make them world beaters.
Da fickle finga of fandom.
Cynic – I dont think anyone is implying or stating that TW is “rubbish” – he is clearly an excellent footballer — as is Podolski – what is being discussed is whether they are as good or better than other Arsenal players.
For me, niether should dislodge the current incumbents in their respective positions. It really is excellent news when players as talented as TW and LP cant get a game for AFC!
This is known as “strength in depth”, I believe.
Either Theo believes he can dislodge Wellbeck/Alexis/ Giroud and should prove it to the manager on the training ground or should seek pastures new — I dont personally believe that TW would start for Chelsea/United or City,but could conceivably be bought by one of those player hoarding clubs with unlimited budgets. He’d still have a lot to prove to actually play for a top four team in my opinion. But,to reiterate, he most certainly is not “rubbish”.
Lars,
Even a brief search of the runes (or Google) will show that it is indeed Cech’s choice to wear the hat now. He is on record as saying there is no longer a medical requirement but rather that he feels safer and more confident with it than without.
Cynic,
Adding the ears may make him feel even more confident as long as he is not mistaken for Minnie Mouse and then accused of wearing a girly hat.
A frilly bonnet for Ospina perhaps?
For the record Theo was our leading goal-scorer in his last full season before injury with 14 in the Prem, plus 10 assists (yes 10), that’s more assists than Özil in his only full season for us, never mind goals.
Compare it also to Danny Wonderbeck with his 4 goals and 3 assists in 23 Prem games this season (and zero goals and 1 assist this year).
Memories of goldfish, some people.
Öskar
Contrary to most opinions, I think Theo still has his uses and that he will stay with us provided his wage demands are realistic.
The reasons are simple, he has something our other players lack, extremely fast pace and the ability to score quick goals (form pending of course). His detractors would say that he lacks defending qualities and why not, the dynamic of the team has changed as with the way we approach certain games.
Against City we defended deep and countered effectively and against Pool we pressed high consistently throughout.
Which brings me to conclude that, due to our depth (have been waiting years to say this!) and wealth of midfielders that no one barring only one or two would be automatic first choice and even then no one will play all the games in a season.
So it bears to mind that Theo knows we WILL compete for top honours on many fronts next season and that he will likely get to bring home some silverware if he sticks with us. Further to note that he is most likely NOT an automatic first choice in any of the other teams competing for top honours should they want him and they would probably use him as we do.
Arsene would love someone with Theo’s capabilities as well as he allows us the ability to be able to vary tactics against different opposition. As far as I know Arsene has only praise for Theo.
So it’s a win-win, negotiations will always be protracted as all parties want the best possible deals for themselves. But ultimately I think it is in both the club’s and Theo’s interest that he stays, should silverware be his motivation and ours!
😀
Oskar- nothing wrong with my memory. your use of selective facts has all the hallmarks of political spin. Of course a fact is a fact but in isolation you can “prove” almost anything. Its the facts that you are not highlighting that are the key to Arsenes non use of TW. I would suggest that your memories of some of Theo’s past performances have a tendency to exclude the facts that dont suit your agenda,while including the facts that do.
Suggesting that those who disagree with your relentless stance on Theo have the memories of a goldfish is a tad insulting and patronising.
I have supported your right to express your opinion on these pages before,and will again,but really, the whole argument is going round in circles now.
Not that it matters – AW is making all the right calls at the moment in my opinion – as borne out by results.
An incredible turnaround in our fortunes in the second half of the season,in large part the managers work,so credit where its due.
AW is making all the right calls at the moment
Results would suggest that yes. I still think we have a serious upgrade on Welbeck twiddling his thumbs, but there’s no need to batter it any longer.
Fuck’s sake… the long week between games is worse than the interlull at this stage of the season.
Welcome, Dr Faustus, to the Arlene appreciation society.
I commend you for your promise above; for my part I will promise only that I will not comment overmuch on those decisions with which I do not agree. If only others could manage to do as much – or as little. You know who you are.
We can only hope for a decent result at Turf Moor without the genius that is Harry Kane to inspire us. All hail Harry. Harry knows best.
COYG
Arlene chitter chatter should, I think, be strictly forbidden.
But I’ll let you be the judge of that. 😉
Heh@Trev@98!
Nostradamus: fair enough, he might wear it voluntarily these days but it was still, in my view, a sexist comment.
Well Nostradamus,
I know that it is Cechs choice to wear the helmet since his return after pretty horrific injury, and I can only understand that he wants to be on safe side of things after he got part of his skull pretty much kicked in by other player.
Head injuries are not fun and if he wants to wear it as precautionary measure, I see no “weakness” in that. Besides, did it make him worse goalkeeper than before?
A slightly, yes, before that injury he was arguably best keeper in the world, after that, he was “only” among top three for many many years.
I usually do not care too much about opposition players but Cech is an exception to that rule for me since he is pretty much only mildly likable player in the bunch of cunts Chelsea were down the years. I might be biased since he is czech same as I am, but still.
Having said that I cannot see Mourinho selling him to other PL club, and especially not to us as he still rates him very very high (being on record saying that Petr Cech is not just a player, but an institution).
Would he improve our squad? Definitely. Will he be part of Arsenal team in 15/16 season? I dont think so. Would I mind us buying him for reasonable fee? Not at all.
What’s wrong with being sexy?
My Groundhog has escaped again.
And I did not post @ 91.
The one and ONLY Dr F
I totally agree to the comment of us finishing 3rd and winning the FA cup. I think that will be a good season and as ever an if only if season. Next season no excuses, no reasons and god forbid no injuries.
Theo if he doesnt get played now, when else will he? Turf moor for example is ideal for him to play.Compact Burnley will not allow our midfield time and space and hence theo comes into picture. Will he get to play/ time will tell but i do think he will. The games or more so the minutes he will play now will heavily influence his stay.
City losing yesterday now means 2nd place is in our hands. I do not think so we will win all our games but then honestly if momentum is a factor which is, we very well can.
City to beat united, we to beat burnley, QPR to beat chelshit, well its that time of the season when we can dare to dream, cant we?????
Dr F is dead. Hail Dr F !
Eandy@116. There is a story that AW tried to bring Cech to Arsenal when he was a schoolboy but couldn’t get the necessary permits.
Benteke had an excellent game for Villa tonight and Charlie Austin scored again. But on the basis of time per goal I believe Ollie Giroud is the sharpest striker in the League. Even more productive than the great Harry Kane. Wenger pulled off a very effective deal when he signed Giroud just as he did with Koscielny, Monreal , Ospina , Gabriel and Mertesacker. All not much more than £10 million and very good value for money. And as Trev pointed out a couple of days ago Coquelin was obtained for peanuts and Bellerin also. The Professor may not have lost his touch
Tty. Spot on as always. Otherwise it is too damned quiet in here for my liking. Huge match coming up against Burnley and most of the regulars, Nigel Tufnell excepted, seem to have gone AWOL. Come on you ‘holics.
A little bit hard to believe as most of the articles in the Daily Express seem to be. But Hector is fast. Just how fast is up to the opposition to find out.
http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/568912/Hector-Bellerin-Arsenal-speed-Usain-Bolt
NBN @121,
I doubt Cech was even born when Arsene Wenger was a schoolboy.
Would that make it a schoolboy error ?
😉
I see Diaby was very impressive for the 21’s tonight:
https://arsenalyouth.wordpress.com/2015/04/07/report-iwobi-hits-hat-trick-and-diaby-impresses-as-arsenal-u21s-beat-stoke/?
Nice signings, Ttg (#122), but he also missed some goodies. The list of those he reputedly might have signed when they were young and relatively unknown (and cheap) includes … Di Maria, Cech, Mata, Messi, Ronaldo, Ibrahimovic, Toure (Yaya), Kompany, Hazard and Drogba.
And no doubt someone has a list handy of the Stepanovs and Cygans who didn’t quite work out. 😉
Öskar
Lest anyone thinks my previous denigrates the Master, it wasn’t intended to. In fact I definitely agree that he hasn’t lost his touch. Indeed the success rate of his most recent buys, although not 100%, is impressively better than at any previous time in his Arsenal tenancy. Imo.
Öskar
Thanks for the link, Joe. I see Arteta played too even though he wouldn’t qualify for the U-31s. Diaby turns 29 on May 11 but if you subtract the years of injury he has behind him he almost might make the U-21s. If you fudge it a little. 🙂
Joe, 8ball: Equally importantly Jack & Gnabry completed the full 90 minutes and they had an excellent game.
http://www.arsenal.com/match/report/1415/post/under-21/u21s-arsenal-4-1-stoke-report
Eandy @ 116 — I like Cech too. Him, Crespo and Drogba — even though he was so often played blinders against us and used to be quite the cheat, he was just a remarkable footballer — are the only long-term players in the new-money Chelsea squad I had admired. Crespo arrived pre-Mourinho though.
I am sure Arsene has some plans around the GK position. And I don’t think unless there is something really wrong with Szczesny in training etc. that would get him in Arsene’s black book, on the field he hasn’t really done that much wrong. He had a few poor games this season, but he also played behind a very unsettled back five. Hopefully he has taken the drop and the competition from Ospina in the right spirit and fighting his way through. He still has more than a decade’s playing time for a top level GK and given his visible attachment to the club it would be great if he can make it with us.
@131 … “he had so often played…”
ttg@122: spot on about Giroud’s strike rate vs Kane.
Oliver Giroud: 27 goals in 1,795 minutes this season in all competitions, and 20 in 1,343 in the league, or a goal every 66.48 minutes and 67.15 minutes respectively.
Harry Kane: 44 goals in 3,060 minutes this season in all competitions, and 27 in 1,959 in the league, or a goal every 69.54 minutes and 72.55 respectively.
Trev@125: I see the Grammastasi are in. 🙂
Entertaining game at the HOTF last night. Rocky first half for Arsenal and a calamitous piece of goalkeeping cost us the first goal. Great to see the imperious Diaby sprinting up and down the field for 75 minutes or so with a series of exquisite touches. Arteta, Jack and Gnabry all looked ‘rusty’ I thought, particularly in the first half and Arteta was withdrawn earl in the second. Wilshere and Serge improved as the game wore on and were influential in helping Iwobi and Mavididi crack in four very nice goals.
Stefan O’connor looked really assured at CB, Bielik got off to a shaky start and failed to cut off the cross which resulted in their first goal but got better as the game progressed. Maitland-Niles looked shaky at RB but improved greatly when he moved into mid-field in the second half.
Sterling is far better than Ozil, according to that powerhouse of football analysis, Michael Owen.
http://www.football365.com/news/21554/9794137/Michael-Owen-says-Raheem-Sterling-is-better-than-Mesut-Ozil
He really is the comedy gift that keeps on giving and giving.
Thanks for that BTM.
Always better to read a report from a stalwart reliable that read about it elsewhere. I’m a huge fan of Diaby. Really hope the lads gets a new deal and another chance to showcase that talent.
NBN @121
yeah, I actually remember that, he was not exactly a schoolboy but 19 yo goalkeeper starting as no.1 for Sparta Prague, pretty much biggest czech club and everyone knew that he is special talent.
Back then Czech Republic was not part of EU and he did not have enough international starts to fit the criteria for gaining work permit in England, that was pretty much the only obstacle which prevented him from playing for Arsenal.
Then he went to Rennes, Abramovich happened and rest is history.
Ham-fisted permutation alert…
I know we won’t catch Chelsea and the league is theirs to lose and all that guff, but I can’t help thinking…there’s 7 games left, which means 21 points on offer, which is an awful lot of points.
If they slip up against us (or rather, succumb to our superior teamwork and form) the gap could be reduced to 4 points.
If Man U get one over on them the gap could be 1 point, they’re suddenly bricking it, Maureen bursts a blood vessel about his conspiracy, sorry – “campaign”, theory, they do one more wobble as the pressure mounts and it goes down to who gets the better result on the final day.
I know this is the most virulent example of bestcasescenarioitis ever recorded by the WHO, and it does assume us winning constantly as they crumble over 7 games but…BUT…
Didn’t realise this but just heard that Liverpool had not been beaten in the league since November.
4-1, wow!
I promise to go back to work after this ludicrous optimism.
Chelsea’s (currently on 70 pts) next 3 games: QPR, Scum Utd, us.
1. Assume they beat QPR while we win: Chels 73 Arse 66
2. Then they lose to the Scum as we win: Chels 73 Arse 69
3. They come to us and lose once more: Chels 73 Arse 72
If #2 happens I guarantee the narrative in the press will go absolutely mental – 5 games left, 4 point gap and they have to visit the Arse in the next game. Will we still call it impossible??
Porco,
Do you remember one Snir Geuli ?
He’s rarely to never seen in here these days but he’s been saying for months that we would win the league.
Bestcasescenarioitis ?
Probably, but I much prefer it to your idea that Michael Owen is any kind of “comedy”.
Totally stupid, semi-coherent, deluded twat. And far less amusing than a dose of dissentry.
I remember the man well, Trev.
I do wonder what they’re smoking at the BBC to give Owen a gig on MOTD. Apart from your concise description of his ‘qualities’ he is the dullest man alive.
GK – Szczesny
Backline – Debuchy, Gabriel, Chambers, Gibbs
Deeper midfield – Wilshere, Arteta
Attacking midfield – Welbeck, Rosicky, Ox
Striker/forward – Walcott
Reserve: Martinez (GK), Diaby, Gnabry, Podolski, Hayden, Flamini, Jenkinson
Where would this side finish in the league? Somewhere in the
top half? Maybe compete for a Europa spot?
When you realize that none of the above are currently first choice for
Arsenal, that’s impressive.
Porco @ 140: A minor clarification — the weekend before we play Chelsea we don’t have PL (they have against ManU) but FA Cup Semi so when they come to visit us the point difference won’t be that small unless they also lose against QPR this weekend. If they lose three games in a row — QPR, ManU, us — it would be very surprising indeed.
I think we will beat them this time — not just hope, but think — but I also think it won’t be enough. We will probably lose the league by a margin of 3-5 points which would leave us all summer to ponder “what if”? 🙂
BJ @ 143: I will also throw Sanogo in that mix and maybe even Campbell.
When the majority is fit we have the best squad in PL — diversely talented and capable of playing different ways. Arsene used to get a lot of stick for hoarding similar kind of players but we now have a very good mix of different types all over the pitch, not least in attack.
People in the media do not highlight these, but we are now the team to have scored most from set-pieces this PL season (!!) and statistically we are one of the most effective long-ball teams(!!!): that is, long ball not just for the sake of hoofing it but using this to play football, a long ball from the GK used to spring off quick attacks with Giroud acting as a brilliant pivot.
Apart from the injuries another problem we had early in the season is players learning to form partnerships. Giroud-Santi-Rambo already had an effective one. But Santi dropping deep (and losing the one-touch triangles with Giroud) and Ozil and Alexis often running into each other’s space used to be quite a problem … and they have sorted it out. I think the maturity and intelligence of Santi has been instrumental in that as not only he filled in for the midfield metronome role of Arteta very well — from the passing and ball rotation perspective as Arteta’s defensive role has been bettered by Coquelin with his physicality and directness — but whenever he played in that CM role he has been magnificent in setting Ozil and Alexis up with space and time by constantly switching play (a la Xavi) and keeping the ball glued to his feet to allow them to quickly sort out any positional conflicts.
Santi’s game of course doesn’t have the sex appeal of Cesc’s majestic through-balls and brilliant manipulation of space at his very peak with us, but IMHO Santi’s cultured, intelligent and tenacious CM performances (built around his two-footed technical wizardry ) have been one of the best we have seen in a very long time and in its own way as effective as any other MF performances since the glory days.
Dr F – cheers for pointing that out, surely we can dream of them losing to Man U at least before they get to Fortress Emirates (which it actually is at the moment – haven’t we had a stunning string of home wins recently?)?
Thanks Porco. Yes we can surely hope so. If you exclude the Monaco match last we dropped any point at home was that defeat against ManU in November , so yes it is quite a run and hopefully continues until the end of the season.
howdy ‘hol
howdy all
.
dunno bout you
but i’m about to
beat beer down me neck
with all the grace of a thirsty pelican
.
sun blazing
johnny cash blaring
deep sunny donegal joy
.
have a goodun gooners
.
.
UP THE ARSENAL
I have spent the last two hours drinking beer in the sun whilst listening to Johnny Cash with my cousin, who is visiting. I just thought I would pop in to the bar to see if anyone was here. And I read cba above. Scary.
But a good plan is a good plan…
Michael Owen and Robbie Savage on BT at pitchside, and nobody has a machine gun handy. The world is so unfair.
Steve T was at the U-21 match last night. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Cynic- with all that hot air a match might do some damage!
Great back- drinking
Very good posts from all the regulars as so often is.cthe case , props to NBN! Trev, Porco, Jo, Dr.F and many others .
Two I would like to respond to
Firstly OTD- you are a hard task master! No manager gets every signing right and SAF had some complete duds although he managed to get naffers like Phil Neville to perform a semi useful role so he could produce some bricks out of straw but Taibi, Diouf, Prunier and Forlan when he was there were all a bit dire. It shouldn’t be forgotten that Cygan was a member of the Invincibles so he didn’t hold us back too much and I remember Stepanovs and Luzhny playing as Centre backs in a cup tie against Chelsea at Highbury that we won comfortably. But I take your point. But very few people are as good at extracting value for money as the Professor.
BTM
I too enjoyed your account of the U21 game . I noticed Biielik started as a centre back and it was interesting to note that he had in front of him a very experienced and skilful midfield! That would be an interesting option if he develops. Also good to see young Iwobi getting some goals , his recent form appears to be very good and he seems to train a lot with the first team. On the basis that Arsenal are a side that actually use and develop young players he is another who as a wide player is a future candidate for the Ox/ Gnabry/ Walcott/ Sanchez wide roles .
One slight concern is that given Zelalem was on the subs bench for the first team at the start of last season his progress ( sub, unused? ) last night suggests he might be one who is not progressing at the stratospheric rate he was. Crowley is a super little player and might have pushed in front of him in the queue for the first team. Nice issues to consider. Chelsea have a list of these type of players who will never even be considered as first team players, Citeh the same.
Tty. Please post #152 in the next drinks if you haven’t already. 🙂