Can Gunners Outfox Leicester?
Feb 12th, 2016 by 'holic
Back in August if you would have suggested that the top four would be playing each other on Valentine’s Day you would have been forgiven for assuming we would be no higher than fifth in the Premier League. Instead we find ourselves hosting the surprise leaders and needing the three points to close the gap to just two points. We are the only team who are able to complete a league double over the Foxes and Arsene Wenger recalled our 5-2 win at the King Power stadium in September during his press conference.
“Both defences have tightened up so it might be completely different on Sunday. They have more belief than they had in the first game but at Emirates Stadium we play at home and we know we are a strong team. I’m confident we can deliver what is needed on Sunday.”
That result has been made all the more remarkable by Leicester’s subsequent surge to the top of the table. Arsene has basically everyone except Jack Wilshere, Santi Cazorla, and Tomas Rosicky available to him. He probably has three selection decisions to make. Will Per Mertesacker be recalled or will Gabriel hold on to the spot alongside Laurent Koscielny? Is Francis Coquelin ready to reclaim his place from Mathieu Flamini? Then there is the right flank, and the options of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Joel Campbell, and Theo Walcott. The former may get the nod having claimed an assist against Burnley and a goal at Bournemouth.
Speaking of Bournemouth, the return to winning form last week was was needed after Leicester’s demolition of Manchester City. We have not been at the level we were before Christmas and are due a performance against the form club. The visitors have a settled side and are likely to be unchanged on Sunday lunchtime.
Ah yes, Sunday lunchtime. The late switch of this fixture by Sky has provoked some supporters of both clubs to talk of boycotting the first five minutes of the match. Arsene has appealed to supporters of both sides to change their plans.
“You can protest before and after but during the game you want everybody to be there. Life is not every day fantastic. Sometimes it’s boring, sometimes it’s difficult for many people. Football is a moment of happiness in your life, so don’t miss it.”
His call is likely to fall on deaf ears after a week in which action by Liverpool supporters provoked a change of policy by their owners. The issue of pricing has been to the fore this week, but it should be remembered that the reason for the proposed action on Sunday is to protest the late switching of fixtures. Indeed it is a category C fixture meaning a fixture that could prove pivotal in the title race will have our cheapest priced tickets, from £26 for adults and a tenner for kids.
The ‘holic pound
Leicester’s only other defeat in the Premier League this season came at Liverpool on Boxing Day. The scoreline that day, 1-0, is co-favourite with 1-1 according to the majority of bookies. I am tempted to something more attractive, probably more by blind optimism than good judgement. I’m on 3-1 to the Arsenal at 14/1. Alexis grabbed a hat-trick at Leicester and is getting back to full match fitness following his subsequent injury. I may have a back-up pound on him to score first at 5/1.
I will doubtless see a number of you pre and post-match. Let’s hope we will be celebrating a win and not the alternatives.
Have a good one ‘holics.
267 Responses to “Can Gunners Outfox Leicester?”
#1?
Oskar
…and I even read the lead first!
oskar
Bronze medal! I like your 3-1 ‘Holic, and Alexis to bag one sounds sage to me….
I’d like to see Gabriel retained at CB, and the Coq to replace Flamini as the defensive screen. Other than that, same team against Bournemouth!
Read it. Liked it. Charge: To The Top – eventually. (2nd’ll have to do for the mo.) URedz!
bathgooner (#107 previous drinks) … this old geezer with a gsoh emigrated to the Antipodes in 1967. Better weather, and guaranteed HD coverage of all Arsenal games. The latter being just as well considering League One standard of local football.
Still miss standing up against the crush bars at Highbury though. I wonder, Ned, did I ever play sixpense a corner with you? Do people still play that (with increased premium of course)?
1-0 will do just fine on Sunday. GD is a worry, but winning is of primary importance. As I said a few rounds back … If we lose our title chance has gone, because a) we clearly wouldn’t be good enough, and b) we’d be too far back anyway.
Oskar
The juices are starting to flow for the match on Sunday. I was able to find a ticket for someone desperate to see the match because my usual neighbour is celebrating Valentine’s Day!
Mrs TTG has had her red roses and has accepted my inevitable absence on Sunday.
As far as the team goes I hope and think it will be Gabriel, Le Coq and Ox starting. There appears to be a possibility that Danny Welbeck may be on the bench. If so he will be like a new signing ….and let’s hope if he does come on he lasts longer than Tommy Rosicky did against Burnley without picking up an injury .
It should be fascinating tactically. Both sides are better at counter- attacking and this suggests we will put pace into the side where we can. Theo played well up at Leicester but I think he will be an option from the bench. We will find out how good Leicester are on Sunday. I hope we can burst their bubble even though they have won the admiration of everyone this season.
I like the idea of a 2-0 win with Alexis and Giroud on the scoresheet. Ozil will run the game
Foxtrot.
Thank you Enos 🙂
I’d go for a nervy 2-1 with this team:
Cech, Bellerin, Gabriel, Kos, Nacho, Coq, Ox, Özil, Alexis, Campbell, Giroud. And I long for a very fluid front three. With Theo, Ramsey, Gibbs/Elneny for final 15-20 minutes to seal off things.
Fine preview Guvna. Here’s hoping we are all merry afterwards.
Oskar @5, so that’s where you went!
Agree with everything you say in your final paragraph.
I agree with Arsenicdaemon @9 that it’s almost certainly going to be nervy but I would be shocked if Rambo did not start. This is the last game that I would start the Ox in MF.
BTM@previous drinks: It was always a business. It is called professional football for a reason. It is just that in the old days the money involved was smaller, much smaller, and the spin and the marketing was far less slick.
Nice preview, Guv’nor. I’ll take 3-1 in a heartbeat. I’ll take three points anyway, come to that.
Superb Hoilic – as ever. Thanks ever so much. I think we’ll win but I said as much last week.
Ned, your previous post @ 106 should be framed and hung in the hall of this drinking establishment. Utterly brilliant. Kudos and Respect..!!
Cheers Guvna…excellent preview as normal.
The boss has some team choices to make (at last) and no doubt the result on Sunday will make him either the sage or the fool. Personally I would like to see Gabs – Kos at CB and Le Coq restored to DM. In both cases the lack of pace with both Merts & Flamini could be exploited by the pacy Vardy & Kante. Of course as it ever ’twas.
With a positive start I also fancy 3-1 to the good guys.
Some excellent drinks in the previous post. Neds @ 106 spot on – I indeed remember standing outside the main entrance that night in particular after another yet another dismal performance protesting that “Wright must go” (Billy not Ian). The police on horseback had to charge the crowd in order to get them to disperse. These terrible performances led to low gates, this rather than angry supporters got Wright the sack soon after.
On the subject of ticket prices raised by Bath, it would appear only 2 teams highest season ticket prices exceed our lowest price. Apparently 61 % of the seats are season tickets but I wonder how many of these pay the lowest price ( £ 1024 ) ? Likewise our stated “low” cost of £26, presumably Cat C games, how many seats are priced at this figure?
Whatever the merits, virtually all games are sold out, so nothing will change here I’m afraid.
A win is crucial for us staying in the race as a loss would mean playing for a top four place as usual. Leicester is the only team in the top four which can afford to lose today. Even a draw today would dent our chances of winning the league. In the other top four clash I hope Citeh wins or draws.
We were almost three goals down in the first fifteen minutes the last time we played Leicester. They have considerably improved their defending since then and not conceding early is important as I don’t see us scoring freely as we did the last time. It would be great if we scored the first goal and stayed solid defensively.
Gabriel and Coq for me over Per and Flamini anytime, but especially today when pace would be crucial to counter Vardy and Maharez.
Atkinson, the match official, is known for turning a blind eye to systematic kicking of our players and as we saw against Citeh, Leicester are quite good at this, as they kicked Aguero out of the game. You know it is loaded against us if any one of Mike Dean, Martin Atkinson or Anthony Taylor is appointed to officiate an Arsenal match. I only hope we won’t be taking about the ref after the match.
All in all, a tough game and a win by any margin is all I am looking for. COYG.
reality is dave, if you do not the dance is over, big weekend
Cheers H!
I fear for us with Atkinson reffing it, I really do. Just gotta believe.
Come on you Arsenal!
TTG – You summarised my views accurately in the previous bar. I am indeed content with the current owner provided he does no harm to the club. Others have, so far, failed to demonstrate successfully that he has, or at least that another owner would do substantially less.
Fingers, toes, legs and eyes crossed for tomorrow.
COYG
I was trying to forget that Esso. 🙂
Thanks, Holic.
If everyone around me takes their seats five minutes late, that will be about ten minutes earlier than usual.
I’ve been cheesed off with the complete disregard all TV companies, not just Sky, have for the fans but Subday I will be there before kick-off, as ever, to support the team.
It’s not their fault the game has been rearranged and they could do with some noise.
Nice preview H.
Another massive must win game. A defeat would make life extremely difficult indeed.
Same old question as always? Which Arsenal team will turn up on the day?
Good luck to those protesting. You would have had my full support had the late change by Sky not meant that I can not now make the game. For those going, enjoy. Make sure you wrap up. It’s going to be miserable weather wise.
Van Balls making Fat Sam look like a genius…
😀
Manure lose 2-1 to Sunderland. Pity as it probably brings cunt Mou closer to being appointed manager of Man Utd.
Joe@12 & Uply@13: Thanks. Very generous.
Just been reading some fascinating blogs on China’s football buying spree, with a couple of eye-popping numbers that might put our money-is-ruining-the-game arguments in some perspective.
Apparently, Asamoah Gyan is on £240,000 a week at Shanghai SIPG. That is more than Aguero makes. And I’d bet a ‘holic pound Gyan wasn’t getting that at Sunderland.
And while we know that the clubs in China’s top league outspent Premiership clubs in the recent window, the clubs in China’s second division — second division! — outspent all the clubs in both the Bundesliga and Serie A. Plus China has a national five-year plan to turns its sports industry into a juggernaut.
One of the two blogs quotes AW.
Asked whether English football should be concerned about Chinese clubs getting out their cheque books, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger agreed: “Yes, of course, because China looks to have the financial power to move the whole league of Europe to China. We know it is a consequence of economic power. Will they sustain their interest? I don’t know how deep the desire is. If the political desire is there we should worry.”
Seems China does have the political desire as well as the money.
Better buy your Shanghai SIPG season ticket while you can stlll afford it.
http://www.weekinchina.com/2016/02/top-of-their-league
http://wp.me/p5IOc-3n3
Great news for today’s peripatetic mercenary footballers.
Indifferent news for Arsenal fans.
The Arsenal will still be here. We will still be one of the top teams in England thanks to Arsene’s longterm approach from 2004-2015.
We may not get the same number of mercenaries for their brief stays anymore or their stays will be briefer.
Our youth development will have to improve and become more productive to maintain our quality.
Maybe ticket prices will fall? OK, no that won’t happen.
Come on Barcodes.. you can stuff the chavs!
😀
Howdy H and Holics everywhere.
I’m out of the country now and will be until well past the end of this season, so sporadic contributions are likely, WiFi permitting…
My take is that ticket prices, China, FIFA and the rest are harbingers of the end. As I have said before this is my last season of serious involvement in professional football. It will just become another broken thing that has been enjoyed by many without safeguarding it for future generations. Like the NHS. Or free university. Or the option to buy a property in the same city as our football club.
If you pretend that things will be the same forever and fail to react to the changes in the world then this is what happens. Sometimes when I read older gooners complaining about the way things are compared to the way they used to be the thing that sticks out most is how lucky you were to have ever had it so good. There is no way now that 14 year old kids can afford to go to games by themselves. I think my record attendance in a season is 6 games. The absolute most I could afford. A season ticket? Hahahaha!
The time to regulate football in a way that ensures its sustainability has long passed. We are up a well known creek with no paddle. There are crocodiles circling us. There is a helicopter rescue ladder dropping down towards us. It’s time to abandon ship or stick your hands in the water and try to paddle us to shore. And my name is not Gunnersaurus Stump Double…
Anyway, I can’t be bothered to stick with it if the whole thing frustrates me so much that I end up writing collected volumes in here about how much I disagree with it all. So, with extreme ambivalence, I’m getting out.
However, I’m not out yet. And I can think of no finer sendoff than a league title. So let’s put a run together and win this thing!
Arsenal 3 Leicester 0
BMBD
Also, Martin Atkinson is a right silly sausage.
LVG is wonderful.
Gary Neville. Nuff said.
Pangloss. You are definitely right to disregard the spuds. I’d happily see them beat city prior to their own hilarious running out of steam and finishing 9 points behind the winners. Us.
cba. I made some fresh salsa and left it on the bar. I trust you are good to supply the chips? Wink.
I wish all Holics everywhere the best of health and a cracking day tomorrow.
@26
BB does not know!
Jinxed it i did!
🙁
I hope that you will continue to visit the bar GSD from wherever MI6 send you. We need your pearls of wisdom on a regular basis.
GSD – I had missed your previous statements about your future involvement with professional football, and I’m sorry to hear that it is to be limited. I shall miss you, all the more so because we generally seem to agree. If it’s not too late, may I beg you to reconsider? Perhaps you might dial down the passion, rather than abandoning the involvement altogether?
Whatever you decide, all the best for the future, and please don’t be a stranger to the bar. I’ve put some Tortilla chips on the bar, they seem to complement the salsa rather nicely. Drinks behind the bar for those who prefer.
May I echo Pangloss in lamenting the decision of GSD to dip out of involvement in professional football.
GSD,
You are a much cherished member of this bar and someone whose contributions are always measured and pertinent. I will miss your inputs and do hope you reconsider. Arsenal is a drug I’m hopelessly addicted to although I’ve never tried to give up. A lot of the rest I could live without.
Rumours are circulating that Gabriel has picked up a thigh injury that will sideline him for three weeks. It’s a grievous blow if true.
GSD best of luck on your endeavors. I’m confident you’re out there making the world a better place (no pressure).
Some good stuff, GSD.
Don’t be a stranger. A man who attends matches in a full Gunnersaurus kit is never going to suddenly be able to ignore the whole shebang.
Just been catching up on the previous bar.
Some excellent stuff in there too. Didn’t manage all of it but TTG, Ned and bath stood out.
Hope you’re right about spuds running out of steam, GSD, cos I tend to agree with TH14 that they could win the title. Just hope I don’t live to see it.
Er… hang on…
Oskar
I guess China has to do something with its accumulated reserves of foreign currency – currently approaching US$4trillion alone. That would easily buy all the clubs and all the players in Europe.
Whether the Chinese Leagues would ever amount to more than festival games I doubt (in my lifetime anyway), but if there’s one thing the Chinese do well it’s business so maybe you’ll all need plasmas to watch the best football in future! 😀
Oskar
had set me sights
on shuttin’ me flaaapin’ gob
fer a while
but
gsd ?
good luck
where ye are in the world
+
where ye’re goin’ in the world
(cheers bath for the military intelligence line)
(sure – that won’t help my well justified paranoia re-justify)
(d’ye know what colour me wallpaper is , gsd )
(and where i buy the cattles’ nail polish)
aaaaahhh
?
but – parking mi6 ?
good luck
gettin The Arsenal outta yer system
can’t say i’ve tried
like many here
i can’t help it
unlike many other junkies here
i don’t have the
one on one deals
matchday or season
with
the pushers
but
the BASTARDS have us
HAVE US !
and
i for one am a happy captive
not plain sailing
but fuck it
things that are easy
.
anyhoo
.
keep drinking in
holics bar and lounge
yer a top fella
and
cheers Imp Fail
very kind
but
i moseyed over the line
and
‘holic was the gentleman as ever
as were the ‘holics
apart from bath
yeah , him
him
i’ll beat mercilessly
with his own eyelashes
leprechaun ?
LEPRECHAUN IS IT ?
GSD, always contribute here, whatever.
I understand your thoughts entirely.
* back from 24hr garage*
*eyelash pluckers in hand*
oi ?
baff ?
me an you have . . . .
( sergio leone soundtrack )
business . . . . .
*town clock chimes *
Trev@36: Cheers.
GSD: Echoing what the guv’nor and others above said. If you are daft enough to jump out of a perfectly good airplane, then professional football can hold no terrors.
Otd@38: Just for the record, the value of China’s foreign exchange reserves are down to a mere $3.2 trillion. 🙂 They have been spending heavily to prop up the currency and they have also taken some foreign-exchange losses on their euro and other non-dollar holdings.
As one of those blogs pointed out, as in America, it will probably take a couple of generations at least before China generates sufficient home-grown talent to be a world power at the game, rather than just having a league of overpaid Citehs and Chavs. But it would be a foolish person who bet against them becoming that if they set their mind to it. In the meantime, it is going to require some deep pockets to sustain the sort of spending — transfers and wages — that we are seeing now going on from Chinese clubs. Otherwise, it will go the way of all other bubbles, i.e. pop.
aw howdy ‘hol
sorry fer me carry on
none of which was aunty english
but
bonnie prince bathy
he’ll feel the wrath of my corns
should i wrestle me boots off
GSD…don’t let the dark side take over. Fully understand your disillusionment with the professional game but it does also gives great joy to many. For all its faults, our great club remains classy at times and makes very good charitable contributions. ( I’m still waiting though for mine though) 😉
Please contribute when you can, GSD = Good Sense Delivered!
Howdy CBA – how’s tricks, hope you are well big man. Have you moved ‘up country’ – maybe GSD has been sent to track you down 🙂
Up
i’m down
in a hedge
cba….keeping out of the way of snoopers eh….that GSD will track you down, he’ll be in disguise as a Gunnersaurus though – that’ll fool yer. 🙂
throwin stuff out
without going back into my life too much
myself and most here
encountered some absolute howlers
of undercover
you could say it was a double bluff
or
a octuble bluff
or
whatever
but
i said this is not a suitable topic
to empty over ‘holics’ back bar and disco/function room
so
Up
no
.
?
Understand cba, some terrible times in the past.
Best look forward starting off with some fox hunting at midday. 🙂
indeed Up
?
Off for some shut eye..these old bones need some rest. Take care my friend.
top man Up
More power to the holics and positive energy too.
Even to those with Sergio Leone soundtracks running through their heads. 😉
howdy 8ball
how’s things by you ?
well,
now that nobody asked ,
i’m not in donegal anymore
i can’t hear the chicken and cattle
i can’t hear the silence
i can’t see the silence
cos
that was the best bit
beasts just stare at ye
say fuck all
‘part from when
their children are stolen
.
anyway
bla
naw
listen to more Hot Chocolate
fuckin great band
god rest Errol Brown
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=IFYOHrwi-W8
Foolin the frost, cba, and you?
If not Donegal then where I ask …
not donegal
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JjyQkt04Urc
8ball
what inflammatory or embarrassing thing
would you like me to say
?
cos
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jQuCqNVdxTc
that’s a good tune
even the video for that is shite
great song
.
maybe
don partridge
brilliant song
https://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=Bym6J_TCNTE
Yup
‘re-hashed footage
still brilliant
oskar
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4xzr_GBa8qk
where are ye ?
*drowning*
yup
it’s happened again
https://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=-yz5jvR9_Jo
‘ holic
i’m gonna need a severance package
mm
Package
sever
.
have i ruined this place
in the short term
with my
whaaaaa
whaaaaaaa
whaaaaaaaaaa
shooting us
really is a bad thing
sorry hol
just delete this
and
thanks for stopping shooting us
what’s wrong
ye blind
?
here
CATCH
.
.
now
yer a juggler
cba is barred
.
Please Dave
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vZKWffik1FE
https://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=JQsg6XXGxXQ
Getting up in the middle of the night on a Sunday to go to the match is not on. Can only remember doing it once before in recent times and that to see a dreadful cup-tie which we won thanks to a Cesc pen.
Have no idea how it will go today, hoping for the best but the rumours regarding Gabbys injury are not encouraging. We must score first otherwise I fear we will be up against it.
Gooner Kevin will be here any second to collect me. At least there are no replacement buses on the line today, they are saving that treat for the Barca game!
See you all at the Ems.
COYRs
Concur 100% Delia. Silly hour to be up for Sunday football.
cba, no ban forthcoming. Donegal or no you are always welcome my friend.
COME ON YOU RIP-ROARING!
Morning all.
It’s time for a season defining performance. Today will go a long way towards telling us how good we are and whether we can be league champions this season.
All I ask is that we start playing from the first whistle with intelligence and desire. Don’t wait to see how the game develops before we start playing. Make it happen. Grab this game by the scruff and MAKE IT HAPPEN!
COYGs
and happy Valentine’s day to all the Leprechauns all over the world.
COYG!!!!
Arsenal XI: Cech, Bellerin, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal, Coquelin, Ramsey, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ozil, Sanchez, Giroud.
UP THE ARSE!
Gabriel on the bench or off games?
Oh dear.
Arsenal subs: Ospina, Chambers, Flamini, Elneny, Campbell, Walcott, Welbeck
So Gabriel is off games. Hamstring. The feared three weeks, no doubt.
Getting a little nervous here but can’t wait for the kick off….
We need to win this game no questions asked!
Let’s go boys, three points.
LET THE HUNT BEGIN!! COYG!!!
Come on Arsenal!!!
The kicking of our players has started. Three fouls, two not given. Twatkinson at it again.
COME ONNNNNNNNNNNN!
Linesman blind as a bat blatant pen
The match officials are officially C….!
Simpson blatantly attacked Monreals elbow there…!
We’re up for this one allright.. COME ON!
F..kin REF!
NEver a yellow!
Our build up play is too slow. We are giving Leicester too much time to get back and defend.
Silly foul and booking from Le Coq. No need to make the challenge that far out.
Atkinson quick to produce a yellow against Coq.
Not exactly a game to get the blood pumping is it.
A simple pass like that and he overhits it.
FFS
Fucking cheating English bastard.
Atkinson is a joke Vardy a fucking cheat!
You’re a fucking diver, Vardy
Vardy clatters into Monreal and Atkinson gives a penalty. Already down 0-1.
Vardy kicks Monreal and gets a Penalty.. HAHAHHAHA!
Video replay please FA
Vardy cons the ref. Puts the ball passed Nacho and runs straight into him.
Foul on Ozil in the build-up to that, and then Vardy thrusts his trailing leg into Monreal to buy the penalty….Atkinson clearly wants Leicester to win this!
This match is fixed. Ref is itching to give everything against arsenal.
Don’t blame the ref Arthur. Blame the player. Blatant cheating that cons the officials. Until the authorities stamp it out it will never stop.
Red is a cunt end of!
Should investigate some of these refs….!
Bollocks!
Why do we always play must win games like we can afford to draw them?
Changes please.
67% possession and no shots on target. We may want to have a little look at our performance before looking to blame others.
Need to sharpen up in the second half.
Ref is either utterly biased or is blind as a bat.. never should be a ref!
Spoils the game!
This is a joke the build up to that penalty cries for some justice and they get a penalty! Fucking joke!
We are too slow in our build up play so if this doesn’t improve we are not winning this game!
Martin Atkinson is a thundercunt.
Is this how the league has been fixed the past ten years or so…?? We are giving them too much respect
Henry talking bollocks as usual
Ref is clearly biased and pushing for a result for Leicester
I don’t mind if we lose a game ..so long as it’s not because of the dubious decisions..which seems to be against us almost 2:1 every bloody season..!!!!
Grrr….
COME ON!
Atkinson has been Leicester’s best player so far…
How was the Morgan foul on Ozil not given in the build up to their goal is beyond me… If he could not see that blatant foul then I wonder how he gave the penalty in half a breath!!
Southampton got away with Romeu and Wanyama fouling blatantly their way through the game and kante will do the same this game. Pathetic refereeing…
And to top it all Andy Townsend and Arry are hailing Vardy as ‘clever’ instead of calling him a cheater… Wonder they would be saying the same if it was Giroud who did it..
I can live with the divey pen. Seen them given.
The blatant Kante handball in the box early on?
Ozil called offside when clean through and clearly on?
The Morgan foul in the build up – clear as fucking day!
Three cards to Arsenal players, Drinkwater goes through Alexis standing leg in the first five and doesn’t even get a talking to?
We’ve played well here – this is a good Leicester side. I don’t normally believe in blaming officials, but we’re being fucked by Martin Atkinson.
Still in it though.
COYG
Henry says it was a penalty…what’s he on about?
Desi
Same on Polish sat tv commentators are saying how fucking clever he is etc makes me sick to the stomach!
Do you know what boys? All of you that want to blame the ref need to wake up. It isn’t his fault that we have not had one shot on target. He is blatantly conned for the penalty. Blame the cheat, not the official. His mistake was not giving a free kick for the challenge on ozil earlier on.
I can’t argue with any of the bookings.
No more teddy throwing. Time to man up and create something. At the moment up front we have hardly caused any problems at all.
Tim
He must on drugs if you ask me.
Well the last time we got behind them by a goal – we ended up stuffing their goal with five of our own… Time to channel that spirit guys…
COYG
Tim
He must on drugs if you ask me.
Lets go again!
Come on Arsenal!
Kos off with a knock!!
Wow we really have it all to do now..
Koscielny picks up an injury and is replaced by Chambers. Everything that can go wrong has. COYG.
Let’s see if we have enough ‘character’ for this now..
COME ON!!!!!!!!!!!
Dive #2
Surprised Mahrez didn’t get a penalty and Monreal off…
Alexis brilliant…. COME ONNNNNNNN!
Steve T, no would blame the ref or whine if he appears to be fair and the opposition wins. It is when he is blatantly biased that you feel cheated. He could easily have given a penalty against Kante for handball, he did not. That decision alone would have changed the game. If Leicester wins fair and square, good luck to them but there appears to be an agenda to ensure Arsenal does not win which is a pity.
Finally a red card against Leicester?,
Ref trying to right his wrong…
Too right @135 KSN
Nobody would blame the refs if they were consistent!
COME ON!!!!!!!
No yellow for KANTE????????
What BS!
Eventually…..!
COME ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Coq off before he gets sent off?
Take a fucking shot! FFS
Switch Ox to the middle?
KSN. Utter rubbish my friend. Blatantly biased? Do me a favour. You are right, he could have given a pen. But he didn’t and having seen it again I think he got it right.
An agenda to ensure Arsenal don’t win??? Did you really say that? We are unlikely to win any game if we don’t have a shot on target.
Simpson sent off? Still think there’s an agenda? Still think he is blatantly biaised?
Perhaps we need to look at ourselves rather than constantly look to see who we can blame all of the time. Drives me mad.
Agree with you Steve T that we need to get our game up, no question.
Theo Theo Theo
Yeah, get in!!
GET IN THEO!!!!!!!!
This one’s for OSKAR!
Our first shot on target all game? About bloody time.
Now go on and win it.
Come on Arsenal!
Drinkwater could’ve broken ramsey’s leg again…!
Grrrr!
Second hand ball no pen
Leg breaker on Ramsey.
Never mind lads, Arsenal still aren’t perfect.
Huth left his arms out too…
Come on lads now for the second!
Well posted Steve T @ 142. We need to stop finding other people to blame for our own weaknesses. Namely our tendency to crumble under the pressure of big games.
Shocking tackle by Drinkwater. I hope they take retrospective action. Awful.
Ohh..alexis… COME ONNNNNNN!
Only our fault if we don’t win this.. all one way now!
Looks a draw now.
CCCCCCCCCCCOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMEEEEEEEEEE OOOOOONN
Bingo!!!!!!!!!
Yeah!
Fucking love you, Arsenal.
Fuck off Martin Atkinson.
Oh my Gosh… we do miss you WELBECK!
GET IN!!!!!!!!!!
Welbeck!!!!
Really got away with that but Leicester were dirty and spoilery today, so fuck ’em.
Welbeck is back in town! Siolololololololoooooooooooooo
A great 3 points. Laboured at times but who cares.
Fucking mad game….thank god we kept pushing on
Whew! Just saw Teh least second, man was it worth it!what a come back, what a goal, what a result! Woo Hoo!
We did the double over mighty Leicester… who would’ve thunk!
😀
GET IN!
UP THE ARSE!
Bring on Barca!
I saw that.
Danny you real beauty!!
Awesome feeling…
And Olivier Giroud was magnificent in the second half… Deserved a goal but then hey that should cheer Danny Welbeck up after all that time out with the injury…
Got to believe now lads. We’re going to win the league.
COYG
A quick word about the referee
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bs8Yjh45rhs
Ironically one of Wenger’s favourite refs until a couple of years back. He was awful today.
He sees everything minor, falls for the con job penalty, but misses obvious fouls and the worst challenge of the match.
Fucking hell, a cracking game.
Mrs. Lurky is so mad at me at the moment, I went fully mad, screaming all over our house, then I run out in the yard barefooted, never stop screaming, after what I kissed the cat, my sleeping baby daughter and then my wife, in that order.
Thank you Danny.
I wish we football would move out of the stone ages.. and have instant replays!
Well… we had the ‘character’ today.
Well done.
😀
Two goals by bench players, both names starting with W. Happened before now, Ned?
Lurky ..good one..long time since we had one of these games!
😀
Good man Lurky. 😀
Whew!
A couple of quick thoughts;
Chambers, other than sending that ball out of bounds near the end, did a nice job.
Alexis, Alexis….we love you, we love your boundless energy, but you can’t do it all by yourself. I think that Leicester contributed to it by their niggling fouling getting you all wound up, but you can’t let that happen.
And full marks to Arsene Wenger for bringing on Welbeck… Giroud was having to take on Huth and Morgan aerially all by himself…
LOL @174 Cynic Ha hahahaaaaaaaaaaa
Lurky
My neighbors must hate me too thankfully my house was empty just me and the TV!!!
I screamed throughout the whole game 😀
Beautiful Arsenal !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It is now -27 celsius in Montreal and I never feel so hot , so warm .
All Alexis had going for him today was his stickability (ah, how I miss Big Ron). One thing you can give him credit for is that he never disappears.
Thought Ozil was pretty poor today and our crossing was largely terrible. Until the end. Too many floaty balls to Giroud that made him create his own power. He’ll have neck muscles like globe artichokes tonight (one for the teenagers, there)
Still, we won and Leicester, who were pretty rank throughout, got what they deserved. Nowt.
https://twitter.com/CallMeSpits/status/698869071027294208
https://twitter.com/phemoy/status/698871905542078464
Arsene Wenger tells Sky Sports the Arsenal team chanted Danny Welbeck’s name when he came back into the dressing room after scoring the winner.
😀
Get The Fuck In – Massive Massive goal one of the biggest for a long time, Let’s roll with the injection of confidence that should bring , How the fuck we didn’t score a second pre then only the man upstairs knows but up the football league we go. !!
Up the Arse, 🙂
Ps credit to Leicester,they played themselves to a standstill but I hope the ending sends them on a little spiral.
Great two free kicks ny Mesut in extra time including the other one for Per’s near miss. Overall our greater depth and experience helped us when we needed it most. COYG!!!!!!!!!
Big smiles for cba and all the holics.???
According to my wife I am going to ruin Valentines Day if I keep singing “OH DANNY BOY” over and over again.
Oh well !
Oh to be in England now that Arsenal’s here! Regretably I now live away from that fair land and the green fields that lie between the Grove and Avenell Rd. Next best result today is an MC/thingamabob draw.
and to relive this moment again:
http://www.meczyki.pl/skroty/56831/arsenal_londyn_leicester_city_fc_21.html
Stadiums erupts when Danny scores come on!
Love the steward on that video at the end, leaning with the cross then going nuts.
Just on my way back to spend Valentines evening with my beloved . Hope the wife doesn’t mind ?
Anyway football like that is better than sex. Certainly the way I do it.
It was a titanic game. I said to my neighbour with twenty minutes to go that Welbeck would come on to score the winner but I also had predicted in the drinks that Ozil would run the game and he ,Alexis and Ramsey were very subdued. Our best players Cech, Ox and Giroud who was superb today. I’m his biggest critic but he bullied Huth and Morgan today . I also thought Atkinson was poor but not biased and the Cech save from Vardy and Schmeichel save from Giroud were world class.
COYG❤️
Heh, nice touch, Cynic @ 174.
Brilliant @174 Cynic.. took the words right out of my mouth!
😀
Mental. Absolutely fuckin’ mental!
Same old Silly, always drinking!
Yeeeeaaaaah!
“Claudio Ranieri slams referee Martin Atkinson” ????
Martin was a dirty bugger
He wasn’t fit to shovel shit
From one place to another…
COME OOOOOON!
Still buzzing. Now to watch Citeh and Totts play.
Martin Atkinson has ended up antagonizing both Arsenal and Leicester fans. Still Leicester’s to lose and with only 12 games to play and plenty of rest between matches they are best placed to do it.
I’ve returned home now from an Emorates which was as loud and excited as I can remember. It was an amazing script with twists and turns along the way. I thought we were good in the first half with no end product at all but we did have the dodgy end of some close decisions. I had a great view of the penalty and feel that Atkinson was conned and should have blown up for a foul earlier on Ozil.
The loss of Kos added to the absence of Gabriel gave us a very slow central pair but the way the second half went it didn’t matter. Having lost players ourselves to two fairly innocuous yellows I had no sympathy with Simpson, especially as Leicester were very agricultural and cynical with a lot of their challenges.
It seems nowadays that when a side lose a player the game becomes a siege. In the heyday of Vieira and Keown we invariably went down to ten and invariably won or at least held on. In this match you had a counter- attacking side whose natural game is to defend deep and break and they had to soak up enormous pressure.
We had most of our flair players off- form or subdued by the excellent Kante and the ultra- physical Drinkwater. Anyone who thinks he is an England player on this showing needs their bumps felt. But Kante was magnificent and Vardy really is a threat on the break. Mahrez faded but is very talented and deceptive and the defenc threw themselves in front of everything.
Giroud’s brilliant lay- off set up Theo who scored well and then it was the Alamo. I’m really pleased for Danny Welbeck. This must feel to him like the lifting of a curse.
I still think we have it all to do to win the title with the away games we have but from experience whoever you play in the run- in , the games are very tense and difficult.
Credit to Wenger for good substitutions . Coq was likely to join Simpson if he’d left him on. Theo and Danny scored and young Chambers was cool and intelligent. Ox is playing with a lot more confidence and yet again Cech was brilliant.
But Giroud had a terrific game. He will be bruised from head to toe but do will Mortan and Huth. He showed bottle, intelligence and great touch. Magnifique Olivier!
GET IN!
200 drinks after a win? What is WORNG WITH YOU PEOPLE?
😉
Excuse the terabble spellinge in my 201
Thankyou all for the kind ones. I did not see that coming and I’m really touched. Not the way that TTG does it, mind. Wink.
Now, onto the game…
YES! GET IN! GET IN THERE MY SON! GO ON DANNY- YOU’RE ONE OF OURS NOW! HAVE SOME OF THAT YOU CHEATING BLUE SCUMBAGS!
I shall repeat myself to state that Martin Atkinson is a silly sausage. Rubbish ref. And it gets a bit daft if people can’t point out his errors without being lumped into a category of people who blame others for all Arsenal’s ills. N7 nails it- if the day we are perfect is the day that we can comment negatively on a ref who has clearly made a number of errors then Atkinson can spend the rest of his career doing whatever the hell he feels like with impunity. Oh wait… He will do anyway? He doesn’t cry himself to sleep at night, unable to deal with the scathing analysis on his performance provided in this bar? Well, that shows what he knows.
Speaking of which, what was the score Martin? Do you know who won? Despite your impartial and best efforts… Boo hoo.
That goal is a turning point. Watch Cech at the end. This team wants to win it. But now they are starting to believe. Some of us have done for a while. Some are not there yet. But they will be. And we will stay together and we will win this league.
And Barca are going down too.
BMBD.
On the subject of refs…
There are all sorts of psychological studies that prove that people have miriad unconscious biases about all sorts of things based on a wide range of factors. A small amount of research will suffice to prove that separating the debate about the way referees perform differently depending on which teams they are refereeing into a black and white poll over whether one thinks refs are deliberately biased or not is a massive red herring that completely misses the point. When that viewpoint is used to belittle anyone who questions the decision making processes of officials as being deluded it goes from being rubbish to being harmful rubbish.
And if you think beating people with a stick you have made out of harmful rubbish is a good way to discredit the views of others and win an argument then I will respectfully disagree.
And if you do happen to think that refs are deliberately biased then I will respectfully disagree.
And Martin Atkinson is still a silly sausage.
I must also echo TTG’s praise of Giroud. He was superb.
What a win….what a win lads… 😀
Refereeing was poor throughout but i guess the red card did right the wrong for us.
Did anyone else notice Ozil whisper something to himself before taking the free kick for the Welbeck goal?? I wonder what he was saying??
bt8b177: Doubt it but the first ever goal scored by a substitute in English league football was against Wrexham, and that begins with a W.
A separate piece of trivia: This was the first time in 31 games since October 2011 that Arsenal won after being behind at half-time.
Spuds get a dodgy pen call for a “handball” to go up 0-1. Kante’s was a much clearer hand ball call than that one.
Wow – just seen a staggeringly soft handball given for Spurs against City. If that had happened against us, I would be absolutely livid! I just don’t get why Clattenburg is even looking to give it….Surely, referees have got be absolutely sure. If there’s even an element of doubt, don’t give it – make your life easier! Too much human error in football – all that money, it’s time for refs to ask for quick referrals to a TV ref. It happens in rugby, and I don’t think it would effect the fluency of the game. Too much money in the game for the whim of a middle-aged man’s immediate, pressurised interpretations to have such a big impact on games.
And as for the Arsenal-Leicester game….Would have been a travesty if we hadn’t won. We were far from fluent, but I felt we were the best team throughout, and Leicester were surprisingly negative and cynical (bone-crunching challenges, ridiculously deep defending – even before the red card, and opportunistic gamesmanship by Vardy to dangle his leg out and win the penalty).
Funnily enough, our 2 worst players today were our ‘marquee’ ones – Alexis and Ozil. Giroud was excellent today, Cech did his usual unflustered work complete with 2 crucial saves, and I agree with others that Chambers did very well after he came on (although his job was made easier when Leicester went down to 10 men). Like against Bournemouth, we found 2 clinical finishes when we really needed them – and it’s promising all the attacking options we have on the bench. If Wenger can rotate everyone properly and keep all our attackers hungry and competitive, it could augur well for the next 3 months. I just hope Gabriel and Kos aren’t out for too long.
The commentator on spuds v oilers has just informed us all that “the tactical pupa of the first half has been happily cast off.”
I’m not sure, did he just call both teams crap?
Seriously though, what a load of faux-intellectual drivel. I bet he’s waited ages to put that little pearl to its best effect. Or not…
Did anyone else notice how big Danny looked? He’s been in the gym and no mistake. He made Ox look tiny when he came on for him. No mean feat (but some massive arms!)
What the hell is happening?? City are playing like a bottom half team and Sp*ds are playing like they really want to win the title. The derby will be special this time…We must take those sh*te neighbors seriously now :/
Loris saved their A**…what an end it would’ve been had they conceded in the last minute…damn 🙁 ….anyway, it won’t be easy to beat this Sp*d side…the thugs really think they can win the title.
Holic@41. Yes boss. This is the only bar I drink in and I will be doing so until I get barred and me and yer man from (not) Donegal (but I know where) have to go and form our own Underground Arse Society. We might not stick with that name though.
http://i.imgur.com/UTrDQ8p.gifv
Spuds… bring ’em on!
😀
Lucky Spuds, won on a dubious penalty and we helped them stay within two points of the leaders. All to play for on 5th March.
GSD
That’s the last time I touch you in that special way if you keep eyeing up Danny Welbeck?
A good day for North London and probably the best two results for those who want a really exciting title race. I want a really boring one with us running away with it..but I don’t think we will have it that easy.
On referees the Scum’s penalty was embarrassing. It’s so not a penalty and Pellegrini had a real go at Mike Dean at the end….and he didn’t give it. But so what that’s what he is there for. It really did turn the game on its head and we do need some clarity on what constitutes handball. At the game I thought Kante was too close to the Ox to give a penalty for handball but I’ve seen a still which looks very suspiciously like he knew what he was doing. The Sterling ‘ handball came after he turned his back and blocked it with his back. Never a penalty in any way, shape or form
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iymtpePP8I8
Moi TTG? I only take my cue from Arsene who had this to say about Mesut’s minerals…
“And when we had the free-kick on that side, and I saw Mesut taking it, I thought we had a chance there. Because his balls are top quality”
Hey! Ho! Let’s Go!
Hey! Ho! Let’s Go!
The person who should be most worried about Spurs’ form is Mr Wenger. The fans would really turn against him if the unthinkable was to happen and rightly so in my opinion.
We did a good job today of starving Vardy of service, and his only strike of any threat was the header saved by Cech.
Heh, GSD at 221, AW knew what he was doing there with Mesut’s balls.
Agreed TTG.
Who cares if it is deliberate if it stops a goal-bound shot? That should only be a criterion for the possible award of further punishment ie. yellow or red card.
And how can those not be given when refs happily give decisions when someone blocks a cross with an arm despite the fact that none of us know where that cross would have landed or whether it would have led to a goal scoring opportunity?
I reckon that most people aren’t too bothered what rule they decide to apply as long as they apply it consistently.
Personally I think any contact with the hand or arm that stops a goal-bound shot should be a penalty. And also that in many instances no further disciplinary action is necessary.
For what it’s worth I’d also get rid of mandatory red cards for last man challenges. They are usually ridiculously harsh and they ruin football matches. There would be nothing to stop a ref giving one at his discretion were the tackle reckless or cynical enough to warrant it but forcing them to give reds out for honestly attempted tackles is all kinds of wrong in my eyes. Plus you get a 3 game ban and sometimes a pen too. And you play the rest of the game with ten men. This punishment is clearly completely out of line with the crime- it’s a bloody mental rule.
I do not care what the rules say- Big Per’s challenge on Costa is not a red card offence in my eyes and it never will be.
http://www.snappytv.com/tc/1387406/592569
Back from the game.
Not backdrunk.
We won despite Atkinson and those diving tinks from Leicester.
Real pleasure to meet up with the Guvna, tabs, Snowy, Dubs, LuLu, Blogs and others after the game.
We showed desire, determination and guts to win this game. This premiership is winnable but we need to win at the Shithole. We’ve done it before. No reason we can’t do it again.
Thank you Danny.
I believe..
And Sterling was never a penalty. Hit his side and his back was turned. How was that deliberate HB? Clatt has plummeted in my list of half decent refs.
Ah, Mr Uncle Charlie.
Nice of you to turn up after a massive win without even mentioning it and tell us all how we would behave in a hypothetical situation involving us losing an, as yet unplayed, game of football.
Tubthump much? Or do you keep your hands busy with other types of repetitive motion?
And as for the transparent and weak nature of the thought that goes ‘no-one can call me out over my petty sniping and blatant agenda as long as I refer to the object of both as “Mr Wenger”‘. Well, there are no words.
Or at least none I’m going to write here.
Top post Gregoirse at 211. Agree 100%.
ned @ 208, snowy and i were wondering about that after the game. seemed a long time ago.
Difference between us and the spuds.. we win despite the Ref not because of..!
Up The Arse!
Uncle Charlie
Yes we’d really turn against that bastard Wenger who has finished above S***s TWENTY years in succession. What a loser he would be.
But isn’t this the greatest team since S***s last had a team in contention for the title in mid- February ….when would that be…fifty five years ago? I wonder how many of their fans can ever remember them being second this late in the season…?5% ?
If two of the worst handball decisions I’ve ever seen ( Leicester in the Cup and today) hadn’t been given I wonder where their season might be?
Uncle Charlie is a well known kiddie fiddler.
I’m channelling Ned because I learned that Leicester have had TEN penalties this season and Vardy has earned more penalties himself than any other team in the Premier League. The diving Tink as Bath might say.
And apparently that was the first penalty awarded at the Grove this season.
Ok Ned you can have your job back ?
Oh sorry maybe that was Uncle Ernie?
Thank you Ned @ 208. I couldn’t remember at all – and that stat pretty much explains why!
It’s petty I know, but there are few more pleasing chants to sing than “One Nil and you f*cked it up…”
Like I give a fuck.
Good Man Snowy! mwah mwah!
*mwahs at Esso!*
🙂
Brilliant win.
Way to go Arsenal.
And for anyone who’s currently losing their knickers at that lot up the road, please remember that it’s been 26 years since Tottenham have been 3rd in the league, and 52 years since being 2nd. They *might* manage something that they couldn’t with Gail Tyldsley and the Chimp in their squad. But personally I wouldn’t bet on it.
Back from the Ems. Buzzing.
I thought Arsenal played the first half, not so much with the handbrake on, as in third gear. I thought that this was deliberate, to allow Leicester City, who were pressing Arsenal _very_ hard, to tire themselves out, and that Arsenal were planning to go for it in the last 20 minutes. The penalty changed that.
There we several occasions when I couldn’t believe that Özil could possibly be moving the ball as slowly as he was unless it was deliberate and under instruction. Towards the end of the game I was forced to admit to myself (and please don’t mention this to OtD) that the Fishgod was simply having an off day.
Before we equalised, I didn’t think that the Arsenal were going to score one goal – either we wouldn’t score at all, or we’d score at least two, and so it turned out.
As for Atkinson, anyone who thinks he was blatantly biased must have left at half time. I suspect that he simply decides that he will make all dubious decisions in favour of the team playing towards the North Bank. This afternoon it meant that Arsenal would get no decisions in the first half, and Leicester City none in the second. As an example of this, how did Coquelin escape a (second) yellow card when he practically picked up Mahrez and carried him to the touchline when the latter was substituted?
Finally a shout out to GSD and TTG who speak above even more sensibly than I have come to expect.
COYG
@Pangloss
Agree about Coq: lucky lad and Arsene www smart to sub him quick.
One thing I would point out is that Drinkwater got away with an absolute leg breaker of a challenge on Ramsey in the second half without so much as a disappointed look from the ref. I don’t think Atkinson takes turns with the decisions, I think he’s just completely and terrifyingly inept, and it very nearly cost us today.
Agree about Fishgod – an off day, one of his more difficult in recent weeks. Still popped up with the match winning assist!
Very happy day, can imagine it will take a few days for the feet to touch the ground from those who were there.
COYG
Pangloss
I’m really glad you enjoyed your visit. It was a terrific game to be at, especially if you were a Gooner! Your point about the first half is interesting. I can’t remember the last time we scored in the first ten minutes, especially at home. My thinking is it was the United game. Even today where we set off effectively we created nothing in the first half. Leicester set off tentatively and had about 30% possession but came close to scoring three times and then got the penalty.
After the break we always play with more intensity. It was even the case against Bournemouth that they were the better team until we scored but we poured all over them in the second half. In the home games we have coming up there will be great tension. Most teams will park the bus and try to get a point and we can’t afford to let 45 minutes go by without putting them under pressure.
One positive today was that the Ox got on the ball and drove at their defenders . Theo at his best can do this but he so often disappears in big games. But he is a very effective sub and made a huge difference today.
I also think Santi Cazorla combines better with Ozil than Ramsey does and we transition better with him centrally. I’m not sure in my best team that Ramsey starts. I certainly wouldn’t play him out wide when we have plenty of options who are quicker and better finishers from wide.
WE ARE RIGHT IN THIS.
BELIEVE.
Barca defence looks vulnerable.. hope Walcott and Giroud gets a start!
Need the spirit of Arshavin again…!
😀
There are two things which are going severely downhill in modern football (apart from ticket prices ofcourse!) – refereeing and punditry…
Just had a moment today when all three pundits in the studio (Townsend, Arry & Richard Dunn in this case) agreed uninanimously that the spuds shouldn’t have had that penalty. And yet exactly one minute later they were going absolutely ga ga over them as if they had dominated the game for 90minutes… There has to some sense of proportion to praise as well as criticism… If we draw one game there is hardly any objective review of the game and the usual clichés of ‘arsenal crumbling under pressure as usual’. Every week these so called ‘pundits’ completely change their tune and hamper their own credibility. Only certain players are celebrated and very few pundits actually seem to observe the nuances in performances of some of less prominent players. Koscielny is finally getting some credit from pundits this season when actually he has been a top top performer for atleast three consecutive seasons. Monreal too has been ignored quite often by the pundits. I am sure there are similar examples for players from other clubs as well. There is such a lack of nuance in general. Also it is completely bewildering as to why television companies do not change their pundits year on year after the same thugs continue to bore audiences with their gibberish…
On refereeing the thundercuntery is reaching epic proportions off late. If the FA don’t bring in the obvious reform of video replays, they must ensure one thing – the television broadcasters must be made to show one replay of a dubious incident at normal speed. Sometimes the super slow motion replays are extremely harsh on referees and linesmen (especially on offside calls).
And speaking of today’s game I think the Mahrez dive for the penalty was a terrible one and he should have got a yellow for that…
Still buzzing about the win… But also slightly worried about the injuries to Koscielny, Gabriel and Gibbs who apparently was supposed to be one of the subs but was pulled off because of a knock in training… Keeping fingers crossed because we will need all our defenders fit for the run in as well as the cup games…
N7@245 – You’re probably right about the Drinkwater tackle (by which I mean that I don’t remember the exact incident, far less whether it was in the first or second half). I was simply bending over backwards to try to explain Atkinson without recourse to complete incompetence. [Note to self: Remember Occam’s razor.]
TTG@246 – My second match of the season, and almost certainly my last. The first? Bayern Munich. Not too bad a brace, certainly better than Hull City and Wet Spam last season.
As for your remarks about the team starting slowly – I can’t remember a goal in the first ten minutes since the Manyoo game – it’s something to be concerned about. However, as an absentee supporter, I can’t affect the way the team sets up or plays and I have chosen not to get too worked up about things.
I thought Leicester City looked like what I continue to believe they are – a _very_ well organised middle-of-the-table team. This is a surprise as at the beginning of the season, in common with almost everyone else with any interest in the Premier League, I would have described them as a bottom-of-the-table team. Yes, they are at the top of the table, but they have vastly over-achieved so far this season. If they manage to over-achieve for the rest of the season then all well and good (or ill and bad?), and I’ll seek to be among the first to congratulate them for it, but the season is only just over three-quarters of the way through. “They” say that the table doesn’t lie, and that’s true enough at the end of the season. Along the way, however, it does sometimes crack some jokes that aren’t always in the best possible taste; this season, after 26 matches, the jokes are lying first and second.
To paraphrase Baff above, keep the faith.
COYG
Video replays have ruined cricket and I hope we never have them in football.
But don’t ask me why or you’ll get a long post about DRS and how it is a nonsense that the same incident can have two different outcomes that are both “right” depending on who asked for the review.
Besides, if we had replays and got rightly tonked, we’d have nobody else to blame but the players and manager, and that would never do 🙂
Welcome back Danny, all is forgiven.
Kinda game i wish I could have been at, not to mention the after match drinks which must have been epic.
250+ drinks too much to more than skim so apologies if repeating anyone.
70 minutes before we could get a shot on target is inexcusable, with some of the efforts truly awful. How Ox gets to start before Theo remains a mystery. Alexis continues to disappoint, with Mesut and Rambo not much better. Well done Arsene getting Coq off, he was close to losing his rag after being given a lesson all day by Kante who has to be on our summer wishlist. Cech still the difference season on season. Not unhappy to see Per in for Gab, whatever the reason, his experience showed today.
And, contrary to most I don’t think the ref was so bad. Their penalty looked fair enough, and the Kante incident could have gone either way … was he bringing his arm into his side to avoid handling, or was he bringing his arm down towards the ball on purpose? Very difficult to judge even with multiple replays.
We’re still in it, but Leicester’s run in looks the easiest on paper, but they still have to play Manure and the chavs away (with the latter looking more like themselves lately) and the LWCs still have a 9-goal advantage in GD. But if we can beat Manure and the spuds we’ll be entitled to favouritism again.
Tighten your seat-belts guys, we’re in for a bumpy ride…
Oskar
Excellent result in an entertaining match. A mixture of good & average performances individually but no doubt the deserving team picked up the 3 points. The substitutions by the boss spot on. Atmosphere at the ground came across better than normal and no doubt contributed to the win.
I was hoping to get to the Emirates for this match when scheduled for yesterday but was committed to a bowls match this afternoon and could only watch in the bar before hand. Went down to the rink so full of excitement with Danny Boy’s late winner I was absolute crap ( but we still won the match ).
The next few weeks will be superb – The Arsenal are back!
“I was absolute crap ( but we still won the match )
Like a true champion, Uply!
Oskar
Cheers Oskar…even at my advanced age I can still get high without any substances imbibed with a good result from the boys in red & white 🙂
Great points GSD on #226.
I watched both top 4 games today. I am just a fan who has never played footy, but I am at a loss to understand the 2 penalty and a multitude of non-penalty calls between the 2 games.
And is it just me, or does anyone see Clattenburg trying too hard to be part of the show (the entertainment piece of it)? People are not paying to go to games to see the ref.
About time people start using the technology that is there. Instant replay for crying out loud.
Lastly AW was spot on with the substitutions today. Go Gunners!!!!!!!!!!!
Cynic @253 – you are right about the DRS and it’s ridiculous the way they have gone about it. But that is not what is required in football. Just like the third umpire came in the early 90’s in cricket and made run outs, stumpings and close to ground catches very accurate – similarly football could benefit with penalty decisions. And it would not be a team that would be allowed to ask for a referral but the referee if he feels he didn’t have a clear enough view of the incident. Surely that would reduce the erroneous penalty decisions that are being made these days… It’s about time football went in for that reform.
Really brutal schedule for me lately. Done some back drinking. Watched todays match in Arsenal player. some observations.
Kante plays hard. But he isnt all that. Ill take le coq over him any day. Oscar, if you are really suggesting AFC should be “in for him” over the summer then you really are either taking the piss or the most fickle of fickle fans. Perhaps both, you rascal!
And Ox; ive so wanted him to step up and be the man. But he just doesn’t really do much. Those saying he’s got a football brain but theo doesn’t – we’re not watching the same game at all.
And ramsey; what has happened to the man. Generally underwhelming.
Someone said it above, but when cazorla is fit again ramsey sits Down. Walcott was good today. Chambers surprisingly solid. And again, St. Petr – what can tou say about the man.
Referree was abysmal. But The Arsenal got it done.
Excellent. So now onward.
Cheers all.
Drinkwater on Ramsey.. Ref should have caught that!
Leg breaker on any other day….
‘Nuff said!
Not taking the p*ss, Homer. Coq has impressed me since brought back to make the DMF position his own in the squad, but I’ve never seen him as the long term answer. He reminds me too much of Song, giving away needless fouls in dangerous positions, and has altogether too short a fuse. There are quite a few better DMFs out there, and I rate Kante one of them.
He was rumoured to be on AW’s radar before his move to Leicester, and has been a large part of the foxes success since arriving there. He has to be a target in the summer.
Oskar
…and of course he’s French.
Newsflash: Spurs only had ONE shot on target from open play in the entire game yesterday, and it didn’t come until the 83rd minute! Bet they’ll be gutted this morning.
Time to start shooting from centre: a sub-ten minute shot on target is the only way to keep the discerning punter happy these days, and it also makes it statistically more likely that we’ll go on to win the game.
COYG!
Big job done yesterday.
Now let’s take one game at a time. No counting chickens.
Give everything.
All this “That was a penalty” and “He doesn’t have to avoid the contact” shit from certain pundits yesterday avoids one crucial point. Intent.
Who had the intent to cause the foul in that incident yesterday? Vardy.
If the intent lies with the forward, the referee should not give the penalty and should caution the forward for simulation. Simple solution to a difficult problem.
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