Gunners Fire Blanks Again As Mackems Survive
May 20th, 2015 by 'holic
For the visit of Sunderland Arsene shuffled his pack a little, bringing in Kieran Gibbs and Jack Wilshere for Nacho Monreal and Francis Coquelin. It made for a very attack-minded line-up for a team requiring a win to take the battle for second place to the final Sunday of the season.
In the opening minute David Ospina had to be quick to sweep clear as Graham advanced and we wondered if Sunderland were going to be more adventurous than predicted pre-match. We needn’t have worried. Needing a point for survival it soon became clear that the Mackems would keep ten players behind the ball wherever possible.
Arsenal responded with a dangerous cross from Hector Bellerin which was cleared somewhat desperately by Coates. The right-back got another opportunity to cross five minutes later but just failed to pick out Olivier Giroud.
On fourteen minutes Jack Wilshere, guilty of a heavy touch in the box, went down under the challenge of Pantilimon. Controversial referee Anthony Taylor saw nothing wrong in it. Just a minute later we had a reminder that Sunderland would break if encouraged and Ospina once again had to be quick to beat the onrushing Defoe to a through ball.
In the nineteenth minute Mesut Ozil, Aaron Ramsey, and Wilshere combined superbly but the latter blazed over on the volley. Four minutes later Alexis Sanchez’ volley was cleared only as far as Santi Cazorla who drove into the ‘keepers arms. An attempt on target. We were getting closer.
Kieran Gibbs blasted one high, wide and handsomely. Did I say we were getting closer? A minute later Rambo looked to have been impeded in the box as he went for a return pass from Giroud. Again Mr Taylor saw nothing wrong.
On the half hour Rambo played a superb chip to pick out Ozil who also cleared the bar. Fast forward a minute and Giroud fired just wide of the far post from an excellent Wilshere through ball. Next to miss the target was Ozil as the contest lapsed into a highly paid game of attack versus defence. Next up to try his luck, Alexis drove straight at Pantilimon. Another one on target at least.
There was a rare break and a warning shot for what might come later from Johnson as the half drew to a close. Goalless at half-time, but Sunderland acted, sending on Rodwell and Fletcher in a bid to have more presence on the break.
That could have proved a masterstroke. Four minutes after the break Ospina was twice forced into vital saves from Fletcher, then van Aanholt. Arsenal set about regaining the initiative and enjoyed ten strong minutes. Giroud chipped an effort from the left onto the crossbar before his superb near post flick brought out the best of Pantilimon. The ball was only half-cleared to Ramsey who just missed the target.
Gibbs, rarely needed defensively, was next to test the big ‘keeper with a near post header. Then came an astonishing passage of play as Ozil teed up Sanchez but Coates block broke for Fletcher who found the goalkeeper at the other end also showing his best form. Ospina must have regained his confidence tonight.
Just after the hour Arsene decided to unleash the pace of Theo Walcott, but before he had time to settle we came close to going behind. Fletcher, not flagged offside, skied his effort from van Aanholt’s cross in behind the defence. It would be Sunderland’s last big chance as they again dropped ten men back.
In the 72nd minute Theo broke through for the first time and beat Pantilimon but Coates cleared off the line. Ironically we came closest to winning when Sunderland’s Jones deflected a bouncing ball onto the frame of the goal.
For the last ten minutes Tomas Rosicky was introduced and almost immediately Theo put him in on goal. Tom’s effort flashed across goal and just cleared the far post. Then Giroud was again denied by the overworked Pantilimon and just failed to latch on to the rebound.
Rambo hit the target again but was foiled by the man of the match. The same player also just failed to cash in on the rebound when the Mackems ‘keeper again denied a lively Theo.
After what appeared a far from generous three added minutes the final whistle brought a mixed reaction from a thin home crowd, clearly nowhere near the reported 59,897. The visitors celebrated their safety, and why not. It may not have been pretty, but to be fair they did not resort to the sort of physical contest some had anticipated. They ground out the result they so desperately needed, and the point we got will secure automatic Champions League qualification unless a freak couple of results happen on Sunday.
What is a concern is that in the last three home games, against teams who got numbers back behind the ball and denied us space in the final third, we have failed to score. Tim Sherwood will have seen them all and could well be preparing to kill the Cup Final as a spectacle. You could not blame him if he did. We have Sunday left to show we have the guile, desire, and finishing ability to overcome such tactics, if indeed the Baggies come with a similar gameplan.
It’s a big ten days coming up for Arsenal’s season.
55 Responses to “Gunners Fire Blanks Again As Mackems Survive”
Drinky drink drink.
Ginger beers all round
First!
Well in cynic
Top 4
Thanks for the report guv
Personally I thought we were poor. Too many players running on empty and bereft of ideas. Another frustrating 90 mins to add to the three games that preceeded. 1 (own) goal in our last 4 matches, 2 points from a possible 12. Not exactly the form you want to take into a FInal, plus I feel we’ve wasted a few good opportunities to rotate and freshen things up.
Luckily we’re up against West Brom sunday who’ll probably want to come and play…….
What?
…Pulis is their manager????
Oh, shit. 🙁
I thought you said 3-0, Holic? 🙂 Enthusiastic report there, young fellow! A tad more interesting than the game. Still, 3rd place secured and no CL qualifying round. Steve T would have eaten both of his hands for that at the beginning of the season…….nay, Christmas 🙂
I said I wouldn’t be devastated with a draw, and I’m not. I am, however, a little disappointed. Still, hey, we’re off to Wemberley.
COYG
Colleagues I must take full responsibility for the Swansea and Sunderland results. Having barely missed a home game all season I was at a business dinner in Frankfurt for the game against Swansea and today I was at an Executive meeting in Princeton NJ. I followed the games by covertly glancing at my phone. My son is convinced that it’s all my fault. I blame Sky Sports.
I will be back on the North Bank on Sunday and also at Wembley. I hope my presence causes the goals to flow again.
Evening BtM. If we get the first-half penalty the game changes. One goal would have had Sunderland reverting to at least a 4-4-2 rather than a 9-0-1. I thought we came close so often. We weren’t composed in the finishing department, plus Pantilimon played like a computer generated Lev Yashin.
Frustrating though, I understand.
Wildest victory celebration in the history of the Emirates and it came after a scoreless draw.
Not to mention that it was the visitors celebrating.
🙁
I am astonished that we didn’t ring more changes in the starting 11. We looked jaded. Pedestrian would have flattered us. We just didn’t move the ball quickly enough when we could have pulled them around more but simply gave them an opportunity to find their shape. Furtthermore our crosses into the box were extremely poor.
Much as I appreciate what HFB has contributed to the team, we simply must add a lethal striker with pace if we are going to take a further step towards a serious challenge next season.
Positives were Jack’s first half performance and Theo adding a real threat.
At least I had a good dinner.
Now I’ll read a more sanguine analysis from the Guvna.
I only saw the second half but frankly we looked very laboured in midfield and could have rested Santi and Mesut this evening. Young Gnabry is fit and he and Walcott playing wide would have been very interesting, Giroud is in poor nick and needs a rest too before he scores the winner at Wembley for us. Hopefully Danny will be fit.If notI hope we start Akpom on Sunday
Gibbs is incredibly predictable on the left , odd in that he has so much skill.
An early three goals for Man U will upset us on Sunday but I hope we have enough to beat a Baggies team who may come to play more than the last three visitors.
If Pedro really is available for £ 7 million I hope Arsene thinks on
Bath
I agree about Giroud. He should be an option not a fixture
Nice summary Guvna. Taylor seems to think that pointing at his watch and waving an arm is sufficient sanction for a team that systematically lets the clock run down from the first minute. 2 mins added in the first half when 2 of their players had an extended rest and treatment and 3 mins added in the second half after flagrant time wasting and another extended rest for Larsson shows how inept Taylor is as a referee. Having said that, I think we would still be waiting for a goal if we were still playing now. 🙁
Thanks for taking the blame countryman.
I too missed the first match of the year today sitting in some boring-assed meeting. I feared the result is my fault…whew! 🙂
And for the record – AW saying he expects no major signings this summer.
We’ll see what comes, but, even if AW DID plan on such things, why on EARTH would he broadcast that to the 24/7 meedja churn hounds? He’s much more cagey than that.
Third home game in a row that we couldn’t score. Pathetic. And you know what I’m going to say … rotation, rotation, rotation…
Playing Rambo on the wing instead of midfield and Özil as midfield playmaker instead of on the wing (were he regularly plays for his country and where he’s played his best football for us) was an interesting variation. But persisting with it game after game when it didn’t work, and when obvious fatigue screamed out for something more conventional, was pure folly. The introduction of Theo and the few minutes TR7 was allowed (his final home appearance perhaps?) showed what might have been possible.
Belle again showed his class. In fact he may be the best crosser of the ball in the side. No-one else seems to get it past the first defender with any regularity. And I’ll say one positive for Özil, at least he tried a few strikes today. For a guy of his quality he scores all too rarely, usually because he rarely shoots. Well today he had a go, but not surprisingly found he’d forgotten how.
Nice to see Jack starting, and the much wanted go-forward he delivered. Also that OspinO managed to keep himself awake enough to repel the cats paw attempts on his goal. In truth they came closer to scoring than we did, but the gods were shining on our goal for a change.
I’m really disappointed the way AW has allowed the momentum created up until the Chavs game to dissipate largely due to a failure to rotate. If the present lethargy isn’t turned around against the Baggies we could have a serious attitude problem against Villa. Alexis, Özil and Santi, and maybe OG, all have to be benched at the weekend in order for them to be fully motivated for the final by the performances of those who want their spots in it. This should have happened weeks ago.
Öskar
Ugly, ugly football game.
One point for them and another one for us.
“Pantilimon played like a computer generated Lev Yashin”, ‘holic? Blimey, now you’re stretching even my memory! Wonderful keeper, The Black Spider who always wore black, or it always looked black in b/w TV anyway. 🙂 Probably the best keeper of all time. Him or Banksie.
Öskar
Yes, Pantilimon was good but Arsenal seemed to generate a large number of half chances many of which might have been full chances only if their pace of ball movement were faster. The called-for rotation was not given. Walcott and Rosicky seemed to have energy aplenty when they came on, unlike the players they replaced.
Oskar am with you in regards to rotation. I thought those four guys should have been rested today.
I actually agree with Oskar re rotation — at least at this point in the season — Alexis, Santi,Handsome and others,all looked jaded.
Worrying that we dont seem to be able to score – not bothered about the league, but a bit of momentum towards the Cup Final would have been nice…………..
Noosa — yep,missed your reply -guilty as charged – enjoy the wilds of Kerikeri — anything open?
Warmed to you quite a bit since discovering you arent actually Australian.
Fair report as ever Guvnor — re your throwaway line in last drinks in which you intimated that you felt the comments had become more “combative” — you’re dead right!
And its a drag — apologies if I have been a contributor
You offer by far the best online comments section — be shame if you gave it up — but if you do– come and stay with me in NZ! (my hobbies include Arsenal,Music, drinking and moaning). My wife also lets me stay up till after 9pm some nights. (serious offer buddy — you must need a holiday!)
I have to say that I am in agreement with Oskar today although I did not see all of the match tonight. The side has lost momentum mainly because it has lost freshness. The coincidence of an almost full squad with our least compelling football of the season is bizarre.
On Sunday a team like Ches, Debuchy, Gabriel, BFG, Nacho, Coq, Wilshere, Rosicky, Theo, Welbeck and Gnabry would rest tired limbs and give Wenger some possible options for Wembley.
Theo is running into more impressive form but at the same time Giroud is frankly completely out of gas and there is no point whatsoever in playing Ozil, Sanchez or Giroud on Sunday.
As far as Wembley is concerned there is the risk of red cards and injury and we are playing a Pulis side. The last time we did that before Wembley we lost Theo and Cesc for a Final. He will tell his players to get stuck in because of the pressure of the upcoming Wembley appearance. I’d give Ches some game time and a chance to work up some sort of understanding with his defenders although not all may play at Wembley.
Wenger will know that he still has gaps in this team if he wants to go for the title next season and these last three home games have shown that we lack a top finisher playing centrally with pace and the opportunism we need. Wouldn’t surprise me if he revived a bid for Higuain or looked at Austin ( ignites debate again!) ,Ings ( big gamble) or Lacazette who is the dog’s mutts apparently.
But let’s finish the season well first
Why is it now deemed “excessive” to follow the rules?
http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/32819923
Official favoritism for Chelsea at work again.
4 games where our players have not scored. this is worrying. everyone is trying too hard and fluffing their chances.
hope we can score and get everyone on great form for the final. COYR.
It was a strange night last night. By kick off the ground was less than two thirds full. Big gaps in the expensive areas. At the final whistle I could only think that the no shows had been privy to a bit of pre match information. I’m with others who think the game was dull. I thought we looked laboured and massively short of ideas. In attack, for the majority of the game we were woeful. Why we insist on passing the ball around the box until someone hits a lofted 9 iron into the box is beyond me. Especially when we only have one to aim at. That is why I think that criticism of Giroud is very harsh. It’ must be tough when you play against 4 defenders on your own?
Jack was bright in moments but Theo for me was the big difference. At last we had someone prepared to run at defenders and actually get behind their back 4. The final whistle in the end came as a welcome relief.
I agree with many of the issues raised above. We have not exactly done out cup final preparations too many favours in recent weeks.
Onwards to Sunday and hopefully nothing silly. Then hopefully back to the Tollie for beer and free chips.
I belive in Theo,av always bliv in dat guy… Sometimes i cant jst help but thinkin we nid a gud pacy striker,Giroud can start frm d bench
Golly, people agreeing with me, now there’s a novelty! But let’s get it straight, it wasn’t just rotation today I’ve been calling for, it was rotation several games ago when momentum was high after the long winning streak. If the bench sitters had been given a go then, two things could have happened…
1) Bench sitters could have found some touch which would be useful for their bench sitting role. They might even have won games and given those rested something to think about and ready to come back motivated not to lose their spots for the Cup final.
2) Bench sitters could have lost or drawn a game or two and we’d still be exactly where we are now, except at least they would have had some game time while key players would be rested and morale would be higher than it is now cos it was, after all, only the second XI that failed.
This has been pretty much my reasoning during my recent ‘boring’ period. Nothing was likely to be lost by rotating earlier. As it is morale may well have suffered. Let’s hope it isn’t too late to give it a boost at the weekend. COYR!
Öskar
Again could not see the match live, but have to agree with the call for rotation. Even without the benefit of being an eyewitness to the past weeks’ action, logic alone would suggest that with a rare surplus of fit talent available, more rest would be in order for Alexis, OG, Santi, et al.
Speaking of rotation: how exactly are referees assigned? Most all are numpties, but how, out of 38 league matches, does Arsenal manage three (or was it four?) with Anthony Taylor? Did we ever see Lee Probert — no prize based on last year’s cup final — or Phil Dowd (I know, don’t even mention it)?
Just checking in…
I will say what I have told everyone else.
We are currently the in-form team with the in-form keeper. On that basis and with the talent we have, we should have finished second. However, finishing third with another trophy will still be progress.
We just need to kick on from here!
Bit too busy to backdrink so apologies if I repeat what has already been said 🙂
Yes, these last three home games have seen teams park the bus and us scoring no goals which is not good. But I would have been far more worried if we hadn’t created chances at all in those three games. We created enough to have beaten both Swansea and Sunderland and while I am frustrated as hell that we didn’t I also know that this happens in football at times. Sunderland also have, if I am not mistaken, by some distance the most 0-0 games in the league (they drew Chelsea 0-0 at home, btw, in a game they could and perhaps should have won) and yet we created more than enough to have buried them. We had some 30 attempts on goal which is a lot in any game, and about a third of them on target. Theo, Rosicky, Özil, Jack and Giroud all had huge chances that they should have done better from.
Will Sherwood set out to frustrate us in the final? I’d be very suprised if he didn’t. But he would have done that no matter what had happened in the last few games. And a final is always a final and lives a life of it’s own. Last season we conceded one goal in the last five games before the final (including playing Hull off the park at their place winning 3-0) and yet we were 2-0 down within a few minutes and about two inches away from being 3-0 down within 10 minutes. It is about hitting form on the day, what we did in the last few games may affect us but then again so may Villa getting absolutely trounced by Soton – just as well as both teams could react in a “fucking hell, this won’t do” way and use that as a tool to improve. We’ll just have to wait and see on the day.
Sunday is definitely a time to rest some tired minds and legs plus an opportunity to sharpen Szcz for his expected final appearance (possible double entendre?).
Szcz
Debuchy Per Gabriel Gibbs
Flamini
Ox Rambo Jack
Feo Danny
Won’t happen. Too many changes. But exactly what we should do. I agree with many above (including Oskar!) 😮 that we should have rotated Santi, Alexis and/or Mesut yesterday to limit the number who have to be rested v WBA.
IF @ 22
Kia Ora.
No worries about the misunderstanding. Kerikeri same old same old -pub looks a bit iffy but the wineries compensate.
If only my stream this morning hadn’t worked I could have got out in the sunshine a bit earlier.
UTA.
Have to agree with those who thought we looked jaded against Sunderland, not that it is easy to break down ten men behind the ball who are wasting time from the second minute. Nonetheless, that was always the way Sunderland was going to play.
I would have rested as many of the team who are going to play at Wembley as possible, particularly the midfielders, just to mix things up. Starting Rosicky would have given us some pep from the outset that wasn’t on show for much of the first half. We looked our liveliest after he had come on as a sub for the last 10 minutes.
Jack looked what he is — rusty after a long lay off. Santi has too hold too deep and is too far away from Ozil to have a strong creative impact on the attack when Le Coq isn’t playing.
Giroud had one of his running through treacle evenings. He barely got into the game and spent most of his time shuttling Denilson-like back and forth across the massed Sunderland back line to little effect. He wasn’t making the forward darts and diagonal runs to create space for others by dragging defenders out of position.
It might have been a different outcome if we had brought our shooting boots. There were plenty of chances, just not many to trouble Pantilimon, and those that did, he dealt with well. As for the joke of three minutes added time at the end, Pantilimon had wasted more that that by himself plodding to the opposite side of his six-yard box for every goal kick.
Dear Oskar – 20/20 insight is a wonderful thing — pity you couldn’t resist a chance to claim a moral victory.
As usual you only see what you want to see and hear what you want to hear — you perogative of course, but I won’t be indulging in conversation with you again – know it alls make me sleepy.
Noosa – mate, are you in NZ for the cup final?
still an offer of beer and a crash pad here in Auckland if you so require.
My Mrs won’t hang aroud till 3am for the kick off so only hardy souls with a sense of occasion get to see the inner sanctum of my beer fridge (home brew Porter and all) too tempting, or not tempting at all?
Interesting conversation starter as we move into the final stages of this season and looking ahead to next campaign….With our over-abundance of midfield talent, does anyone else think that Wenger operates on something of a conscious/subconscious (take your pick) pecking order when it comes to evaluating the options available to him – even if it results in slightly unbalancing the side?
I often think that he prefers the claim of more multi-talented, centrally-inclined midfielders (Ozil, Cazorla, Wilshere, Ramsey) over the more orthodox wide-men (Ox, Walcott, Welbeck), almost to the point where when everyone is fit, he tends to try to accommodate as many of those CMs (even if it means playing Cazorla wide for most of last season, Ozil at the beginning of this season, and Ramsey/Wilshere in recent games), and it’s somehow slightly ‘easier’ leaving Theo or Danny on the bench. I personally think some of our best performances this season – Monaco away, Middlesbrough home come to mind – have come about when two of those CMs were benched and/or injured, and he could play a more dynamic front 3. I also think with Welbeck or the Ox playing wide, it makes Alexis a better player, offering him more flexibility to switch wings and become more dangerous, where as in recent weeks – along with his obvious over-fatigue, he looks a bit straight-jacketed as a right-footed player stationed permanently on the left, as it’s not really feasible to swap him with Ramsey for example.
I just think it’s an interesting development moving into next season – and assuming we have the same squad available and more luck with injuries as we’ve had in the 2nd half of this season. I’d like to see Wenger being braver and willing to drop the underperforming 2 of Ozil, Cazorla, Ramsey and Wilshere (wouldn’t true competition up their performances anyway?), and give more dynamic inside-forwards (Sanchez, Welbeck, Walcott, the Ox) their head.
*nostrils twitch*
*taste buds bounce*
*liver dons sunday best*
.
did someone mention homebrew porter?
The team for Sunday is not as important as the team for Wembley. If that tippy tappy side from last night plays the cup final it is going to be an excruciating watch.
My cup final team would be: Ospina; Bellerin, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal; Ramsey, Coquelin, Ozil*; Sanchez, Giroud, Walcott.
*For Ozil you could insert Cazorla if you want a goal threat and more pace.
As for Pantillimon, he’s nowt but a Common Shay.
Trying to say it was ok after yesterday is like saying it is fine we did not lose. When the team overall do not seem to have an idea on how to break a defense, then it definitely is a cause of concern. If the defense was really great then also we can accept that they had a great game and we could not have done much but that was not the case. We did not look like scoring the whole game, neither this and definitely not the swansea game.
It is so evident that we are running empty and why should we not rotate is beyond understanding. Giroud has been poor and Santi and Ozil as well as Sanchez are not far beyond. It is not a blame game but when we have options why not use it. Jack, rozza, theo, gnabry all should have played yesterday and started. What are we waiting for? christmas? It is Wenger’s mistake not rotating a squad which can be and needs to be. Sanchez has played 50 games this season and if you expect him to be fresh as a daisy then he wont be. We need to get points to ensure a top four and it is important is acceptable but what chances were there that it would not have been achieved with the set of players who we could have played otherwise.
The problem is teams wont change their approach when they play us, we need to.
Sunday we need to win, we need a momentum going to the finals and one more goal less draw will make it bad. Rest some players please, yes we need to win but the fresh players are good enough to beat a west brom team playing for nothing.
I’m not sure those picking out Giroud for criticism would be quite so enthusiastic about it if Pantilimon hadn’t made this great reaction save to Giroud’s brilliant flick.
http://arsenalist.com/f/2014-15/arsenal-vs-sunderland/giroud-does-brilliantly-to-get-a-touch-but-goalie-with-a-great-save.html
Vinay@39: It is a bit harsh to say we didn’t look like scoring all game. We did have 28 shots. But the team didn’t bring its shooting boots. Twenty were off target, most of them ending up in Row Z
bt8b: Goals, of course, changing everything for a striker. And without service, strikers will always look forlorn. However, it might be worth noting that Giroud hasn’t scored since the Liverpool game on April 4th. Also worth noting that we’ve scored only seven goals in the seven games since. Alexis and Aaron have scored six of those and og — and not the Ollie G sort of og — the other one.
Ned,
Agreed that Giroud can use a rest this week and probably should have been substituted and/or rotated more than he has been over the last several weeks. In the context of yesterday’s game specifically though I wouldn’t single him out as the one player who looked the most knackered.
NBN @ 8ball: Giroud could definitely have done with being rested or coming off the bench for a few of these matches. And I think he would have if Danny were available. It would have given him both freshness and motivation. It was not a coincidence that since his return from early season injury which prompted us to get Danny his game moved a step forward. Instead of feeling fresh and hungry to prove himself he is now jaded. Last season too towards the end he as dragging himself through the games and Arsene tried Sanogo or even Poldi in the central role. Not having another fit number 9 in the squad has really left its mark in the last few matches and I wonder if Chuba could have been tried … he is a novice of course but has both stature and pace. Won’t mind him starting on Sunday with Giroud on the bench. Giroud also gets hacked around with impunity by defenders. Both Hull and Swansea defenders targeted him physically. He needs to perfect the Drogba-art of earning free-kicks and penalties when touched. 🙂
Danny & Ox being injured have been a shame. And that brings to mind a somewhat troubling question: what is it with all these English players? Gibbo too had a few weeks of fitness issues — Arsene revealed it recently — that fortunately we didn’t notice Monreal being in such fine form. But all of them — Jack, Theo, Gibbs, Ox, Danny — once they get injured it takes a lot of time to fully recover. Ox I understand is still in that stage of his physical development when this is not entirely unexpected, but Danny and Gibbs are in their mid-twenties and should not have such trouble recovering.
Stark contrast to Alexis, Santi, Giroud, Ozil etc. all of whom once recovered from their injuries or niggles maintain a level of fitness that at least allows them to play consistently.
@ 43: NBN & 8ball … 🙂
Back again…
James Olley writes:
“Wenger needs a quick cure for Arsenal Malaise”
Let’s be honest, it was moving to watch Sunderland survive the drop in the game of their lives. After all, it was Advocaat who released (reluctantly or not), Arshavin from Zenit to become “ah Gooner”.
Second place was out of our hands after last Mondays “shock defeat” to Europa chasing Swansea, whilst Olley worries about our form ahead of Wembley.
What will this be? Our fourth time in 12 months?
To me Wembley isn’t about drawing 0-0 or even 1-1. To me it’s about nicking a win in full time or extra time. Having the gumption to see the whole occasion through.
I won’t pick on individual players, but I will say that it is not about playing over complicated football or pleasing players who would otherwise fairly spend the majority of the game on the bench. To me it’s about playing our strongest XI and having a plan B.
Why spoil a good formula which has worked for the majority of this season, whilst anticipating an upset? Anticipate as opposed to expect in my opinion.
Cheerio!!
its gettin so a man can’t
get a hearty swally in here
recently
*beeps cow horn*
no ?
No ?
I ask ye!
.
mind you did
just a wee while ago
bottle a charge of homebrew
.
a charge
.
a drunken labour of love
(as herself calls me)
.
i
in a thunder T sorta way
cellar my swally for months
though
i can’t imagine m’lud-lite
heaves a 30l bucket of unbrewed brew
around the house
or
bringing a 2013 vintage imperial stout
to a sit down dinner
.
ummm
sorry
thunder T
went off on one
.
jeez
.
bla
and oskar
ye did so well
then you went n got a bad dose
of the toldyousos
.
howdy ‘hol
howdy all
🙂
Arsene Wenger Q&A : http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/arsene-wenger-qa-full-transcript-5736938
We must tackle like this in our games : http://i.imgur.com/W8X7gvz.webm
😀
just checked recently
theres a dozen from ’13
several dozen from ’14
forgot about them completely
oop north just now
.
were a selection of
strengths
.
whole raft of apfelwein
says 8%
last year must be
.
there is a reason why i
forget to forget what i etc
.
oy
.
at least i have people around me
to pish themselves laughin
.
hillbillies
cba – It may be a long way to/from Tipperary, but there will always be a bottle of home brew porter with your name on it in my fridge!
god bless you fella
yer a good soldier
🙂
“The ex- Aston Villa star, Bruce Rioch, is tipping Sherwood to lift the FA
Cup at the expense of the club he managed in 1995/96 before Arsene
Wenger took over.”
“A candy-colored clown they call the vomitman
Tiptoes to my room every night
Just to sprinkle vomit and to whisper
Go to sleep, nothin’ is alright”
The Queen of all hangovers is knockin’ on me door.
‘Scuse me…
*lurker*
.
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vZKWffik1FE
CBA
Hello my good man.
I have never toted 30l around the house inside or outside my body. But I’ve gone pretty close!
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