A New Hero Gains Gunners Three Hard-Earned Points
Dec 9th, 2018 by 'holic
What a difference six days make. In the same week that the Middlesex Nomads were duly despatched convincingly we had a real war of attrition against Huddersfield Town.
As a match this one took time to come to life. Huddersfield have a need for points every bit as much as us and it was clear they had not come for an open contest. Their high press prevented us from building anything from the back, and their rotational fouling was causing ever increasing consternation in the north-east corner of the Grove, a new vantage point for me.
I’ve said it before, however, we cannot blame the visitors for the tactics they deem necessary to seek out a result. It is up to the referee to clamp down on the rotational fouling and time-wasting. In my view, popular it seems, but not universally, his failure to manage the match and some highly questionable decisions made for an atmosphere bordering on the febrile.
Chances came our way and went again with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette missing opportunities that strikers of their quality would normally gobble up.
The growing frustration in the stadium then invaded the pitch as both sides decided the dark arts were required. First into the book was Granit Xhaka, clearly clipped but carded for simulation. Pritchard followed him for clearing out Lichsteiner. Williams pre-meditated lunge through Lucas Torreira’s calves warranted more than a simple yellow to most around me.
Stephan Lichsteiner’s fifth yellow card of the season was earned. Smith and Sokratis Papastathopoulos traded bad fouls and the referee was forced to call the two captains for a chat as he struggled to regain control.
A seventh yellow followed in time added on when Mustafi was the second Arsenal player booked for simulation. He was definitely clipped and every week the pundits say if there is contact you are entitled to go down. It didn’t help that twice Huddersfield players claimed penalties which were not given and they survived further punishment.
Once again Unai Emery decided to change our shape at half-time, withdrawing Lichsteiner and Lacazette in favour of Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Alex Iwobi. There was no sudden transformation in our fortune. Mkhitaryan drilled his first effort wide and Aubameyang missed from a far post header that he should have at least got on target.
Midway through the half Skhodran Mustafi hobbled off with what looked like a hamstring problem, and in so doing left us with 10 versus 11 for a few uncomfortable minutes as Nacho Monreal was prepared to replace him.
With ten minutes to go Matteo Guendouzi became our record third booking in a match for simulation and this time no complaints. That is something he needs to reflect on, then cut out of his game. He is young and on a learning curve so I’m sure he will.
Just when it looked as though we would have to settle for another disappointing home draw up came the new cult hero in red and white. Lucas Torreira contorted his five feet frame to net with a spectacular overhead kick from Aubameyang’s perfectly weighted chip. Roars of relief broke out all around.
Huddersfield’s persistent time-wasting could have proved advantageous as the officials played an additional seven minutes at the end of the ninety, but we survived their late attempts to equalise and secured three points. In all honesty that is all we could have asked for from a side coming off the back of two high intensity games.
So back to the pubs of North London to refuel and compare verdicts before heading home for Match of the Day. It was my last home match of 2018 so a big thanks to all of you who have shared The Arsenal with me this year. The community that has developed around our common love never ceases to amaze me. I owe you, or perhaps we owe each other.
70 Responses to “A New Hero Gains Gunners Three Hard-Earned Points”
Cheers H!
Yo Esso!
Have a great day with Pat.
Haven’t seen the game yet so thanks for detailed review Holic. A tough week indeed so grateful for the three points.
Cannot believe we’re nearly at the end of another year – it does speed up as you get older I’m absolutely certain.
UTA.
Cheers H. Great report.
I only saw MOTD highlights so I’m especially grateful for your summation. 3 points was what we needed and what we got. On to the next one.
Having looked at the last drinks I have to comment that I find Steve’s assertion that no-one is allowed to criticise a ref for poor decisions because our players also made some poor decisions to be bizarre.
If the people who blame refs for everything have gone too far towards one end of a spectrum then at its other end lies the view that referee’s performances must never be taken into account as it is just excuse making. There is a middle line, which you seem to have walked nicely H.
Thank you for the report Guvna. It filled in a lot of gaps for me as I didn’t make the match due to a course to which I had committed and have only just, this morning, seen MoTD. A hard won three points abd no doubt extremely frustrating viewing for much of the afternoon but oh what a lovely goal to take the just deserts. The major downside is clearly the evisceration of our defence for the trip to Southampton (not a recent good experience) through the yellow card tally.
Guendouzi may have dived but equally it looked as if he could have been caught by the impact of the defenders knee. Only they will know for sure. If he did dive he needs to cut that out. Mustafi and Xhaka were clearly clipped. They may have gone down easily but we do see that all over the place with no cards flashed. Tearney was clearly on a mission especially if there was no similar sanction on the day for the opposition.
Finally, SEVEN minutes of added time? Was there a long injury stoppage? When have we ever been awarded extra time for the time wasting of the opposition when we were chasing a game?
Tearney can do one.
A big thank you to you, Guv’nor, for keeping this bar the haven of sanity, civility and lightening-quick away-game reports that you have made it.
Three games in a week, including against the Neighbours and the Mancs, evidently took their toll yesterday. Given the high-energy game that Emery wants, I hope this wasn’t prologue to the team running out of steam at the pointy end of the season.
On the diving question, I don’t think there should be any ‘entitlement’ to go down in any circumstance, as that, to my mind, is an implicit condoning of, at the very least, the spirit of cheating. But if a player is clipped and goes down, however readily, I don’t see how that can be ruled to be ‘simulation’. Anyone who has played the game knows that even the slightest contact with an opponent can send you sprawling if your speed and balance are just so.
It is difficult to tell from the only video angle that seems to be available, but my first reaction to the Guendouzi ‘simulation’ was that what had happened was as Bath saw it: the defender’s knee into the back of Guendouzi’s thigh and left arm on his back as Guendouzi tried to round him. With Guendouzi leaning forward on the sprint, that would have been enough for Guendouzi’s right foot to drag on the ground and send him sprawling. I don’t see where the commentator and pundits got ‘Geundouzi threw out his leg’ from.
From my position in row 9, block 7, the Guendouzi tackle happened right in front of me. I was completely convinced it was a penalty, both from my eyes and my ears (there was a distinctive thud as contact was made).
It probably just goes to show what a tough job the refs have and why they need VAR.
Like MotD I left out the other baffling incident when Laca’s first-half ‘goal’ was ruled out for offside when it appeared to be in a second phase when a defender underhit a back pass which Laca was able to intercept.
He couldn’t be given for a marginal offside in the first phase as he didn’t get to the ball, or did I misunderstand the law now?
I’m in a different time zone and so had to rely on the excellent *******.com for my viewing pleasure and wifi here is dodgy (every Arsenal game is on there for free but good wifi is essential). So I greatly appreciated your view from inside the stadium.
I was just about to mention that you’d omitted the Lacazette goal incident and then you popped up at number 10. That decision was incorrect IMHO. A new phase of play had begun and the goal should have stood. A correct decision would have forced a change in Huddersfield’s tactics and a ray of real entertainment would have broken through the clouds of serial fouling and time wasting (as indeed happened after we scored for the second time).
Thank you Holic and fellow Holics for keeping me informed and entertained for another year.
I was in the Hemmingford when the team was announced and the consensus with my two pals was that Emery had picked a defensive side and with no Rambo or Ozil we questioned where the guile was coming from to provide the killer pass to our two strikers whom I have criticised in the past for missing too many chances.
We were somewhat inept in front of goal and we in the stand were getting thoroughly frustrated at the Ref, one of the new ones to the PL, Huddersfield’s nasty fouling and time wasting and our stupid defenders for getting their 5th yellow cards.
Then along came Lucas Torreira to save our bacon. He really is a little star. I accept that we had had a tough week but
A massive over exaggeration GSD. Of course, everyone is allowed to criticise the officials should they choose to do so. It’s just the hypocrisy and cheating I have massive issues with. You don’t think Mustafi made bucket loads of minimal contact and flung himself to the ground? Then we will just agree to disagree.
Your words last week….
“Next up was a chance for this most frustrating of referees to Dean it up by awarding a penalty against Holding for sliding past Son. On a replay I was able to see some contact. For me though, it was not anywhere near enough for a penalty and Son had already lost the ball.”
If Huddersfield players had been Mustafi and Guendozi then how would people feel then??? Especially if both had been given and we had lost 2-1.
I’ve said for years now that every single player takes the field prepared to cheat. You hate it. Eradicate that and the constant criticism of officials by many might have more validity? Bring in VAR. The sooner the better for me.
Just my opinion
Laca was given offside from the Aubameyang header where he made a movement towards the ball. He was in an offside position. Interfering or active???? That is the matter for debate.
(from 12)
but I had hoped with no Rambo or Ozil available a chance would have been given to Emile Smith Rowe.
COYR
Steve.
I thought there was enough contact on Mustafi that if the ref decided it was not a penalty (fair enough) then it was also not a dive, not worthy of a free kick, let alone a yellow. I wouldn’t have given Son a yellow last week either. Both situations are play on.
Guendouzi clearly felt he was fouled- I don’t think he felt that was a dive. When I watched the replay I was watching his feet and saw no contact. Others are suggesting it was a knee or hip contact. Whatever- I see why that was given.
But I did not make a point about those incidents (beyond acknowledging without specificity that our players had made some bad decisions). If a ref gets something right, or a player gets something wrong, it is unrelated to a separate incident when a ref gets something wrong. One does not take away the validity of talking about the other.
If all 3 were blatant dives and we had 5 more that went unpunished we would still be perfectly reasonable to point out other mistakes that the ref made.
Furthermore, if refs gave free kicks when a player was kicked in the leg and did not fall over then falling over would not be necessary. But for years they adopted a policy of only rewarding players that went to ground. No one did it in past eras because it was not beneficial. The fact that it is beneficial now is solely the province of the referees. And now it is entrenched.
You seem to find the criticism of refs constant. Fair enough. Is that because people like to moan? Or because the game is faster than ever and the standard of officiating has not improved at the same rate (if at all) creating the widest ever gap between the quality of players and those officiating? Could the constant complaints be a sign of constant poor decisions?
My bugbear is the reverse to yours. I get annoyed when any criticism of the ref is disputed by people claiming that it lacks validity (when often it is that they have their own issue with scapegoating!) I’m not at all saying I’m right, but I often respond this way to posts that shoot down anyone complaining about the officials and I rarely respond to make my point. If we stopped bringing all of our baggage into play then we could evaluate situations on their merits. Sometimes the context we bring is unhelpful.
It’s the same reason I rarely watch punditry. They have an agenda or an interpretation that they believe sufficiently strongly (or have some vested interest to promote) that they shoehorn events into whatever narrative suits them- rather than just looking at the game as it happens.
Totally agree on VAR.
Do you know chaps, the quality of discussion on here is exceptional. Even when disagreeing it feels like a high quality debate in a senior common room, with articulacy and vocabulary to match. Such a pleasant change to the low level “punditry” we see on TV.
I hate to burst the bubble of optimism about the effects of VAR but these should be leavened by realisation that the people who will be assessing the VAR footage will be the very people who have brought their subjective and sometimes blatantly biased opinions to their roles as match officials and caution you that they will continue to do so.
Some clearly incorrect decisions will be corrected, others will stand. The people who determine the verdict on VAR will not be omniscient and therefore will also make mistakes. Worse however, they will bring their incapacity for objectivity to their decison making. Leopards cannot change their spots. The culture of the ‘clinical freedom’ of referees will continue.
Prepare yourselves for more of the same, Gooners.
Another 2¢ on diving. We can’t agree in this bar on whether Guendouzi dived or not and, if there was contact, whether it was a foul or not, with the benefit of replays, well-positioned eyes in the ground and ample time for re-examination. It would be understandable if the ref couldn’t either in the split second he had to make his decision, especially as, in this case, he would not have had a clear view of Guendouzi because the defender was in his line of vision.
In which case, common sense would say, if there is no clear-cut case for awarding a penalty, the defence gets the benefit of the doubt and play goes on. In this case, we would have grumbled, but in a ‘well, I’ve seen them given for less’ sort of way, and moved on, too.
What I find incomprehensible with this incident is that the referee, despite all the uncertainties involved, could determine in the nano-second available to him that there was no doubt at all or even ambiguity in what had happened and that it was a clear-cut dive.
There really has been a worrying amount of good sense written here recently on the subject of dodgy refereeing and VAR.
I don’t recall – maybe I just overlooked – any suggestion of a way forward, so here’s a thought: Don’t introduce VAR. Don’t ban replays. Introduce a maxim that the referee’s decision is final. That’s it. If the referee is mistaken, then that’s very unfortunate – “The referee’s decision is final” so there’s no power on earth that will change the referee’s decision.
If a referee makes too many incorrect decisions, then take similar sanctions against him as are taken in any other line of work – don’t promote him, perhaps suspend him for a week or two, in extreme cases fire him.
There will still be a need to sell newspapers, so there will continue to be endless discussions, but they will have to be on a different subject. Too much diving? Change the laws. Too many offences, proscribed by the Laws, going unpunished? Change the referees. Inconsistent interpretation of the Laws? Change the wording of the Laws so that they are easier to interpret.
Don’t criticise the players for playing to the letter of the law, what do you expect them to do? If wider society always acted in the spirit of the Law rather than according to the letter, then it would be reasonable to criticise football players for behaving differently, but in that case there would be an awful lot of unemployed lawyers around.
Lots of great contributions above.
Well said Countryman.
I agree with you Ned that there was no way to be 100% sure and play on would have been a good decision. I do for once have sympathy with the ref though as they way his legs fell out from him when the contact may have been higher up his body did make it look like a dive.
Pangloss. I agree with the spirit of your post but I do think the game is so much faster now that refereeing is not the same job it used to be. There are no other fields where we would deny our experts *cough* the benefit of technological advances and I think VAR would help them. Baff is right though that they enjoy a clinical freedom. What you say about properly sanctioning refs and rigourously analysing their performance seems like pie in the sky to me. They operate with immunity and their governing body serves the referees, not the game. I can’t see that changing anytime soon. The power they have is amazing within the financial landscape of football. They should be regulated and organised to ensure a high standard, not condone and promote a low one.
Baff. I think VAR would give often flawed decision makers better information with which to make decisions. They would still get things wrong, but I think we would see more correct decisions overall.
I’m just watching Ronnie in the snooker. The ref has to replace a ball as accurately as possible. Both players help him out. Different world.
Why don’t the footy refs have bow ties? ?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVSd74XdZ_E
Love cba
The assistant ref was technically correct in his call on Lacazette ‘offside’ goal. The clarifications to the offside law state:
A player in an offside position may be penalised before playing or touching the ball if, in the opinion of the referee, no other team-mate in an onside position has the opportunity to play the ball.
So Laca was not only in an offside position (not disputed) but also committed an offside offence before the defender played the ball because the nearest onside Arsenal player, Guendouzi, had no opportunity to play the ball.
Had Laca been just offside, then this part of the law would have applied:
A player in an offside position receiving the ball from an opponent who deliberately plays the ball (except from a deliberate save by any opponent) is not considered to have gained an advantage.
i.e., no offside offence and the goal would have stood.
Second phase arguments don’t come into it. The ball would have had to have been moved in the direction of the halfway line for a new phase of play to start.
Just shows how the offside law is too complex for its own good.
GSD@22: It has been all down hill since referees stopped wearing blazers.
love esso
.
.
.
*fuckin fillin up here*
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
“NO !!”
“YOU’RE CRYING”
Some great posts above and many that collectively highlight the many issues. Ned highlights a massive issue in that, how many of us truly know the laws of the game? It would appear not many. A little knowledge is sometimes a dangerous thing.
Football has changed. The way we watch the game has changed. The game is a lot faster than it has ever been. Pundits sit and review a decision seconds after the incident. “The goal shouldn’t have been allowed. His elbow was 3 inches offside.” Sit back and wait for mass hysteria, often perpetuated by managers at the earliest opportunity.
Then we have the cheating/embellishment/simulation (CES) arguements. Have they dived? Have they over acted? Have they made far more of it than it really is? It’s all very subjective, but for me, cheating has unfortunately become an accepted part of the game.
So, where does that leave us? It leaves us with officials in a game that is harder and faster than it has ever been. It’s a game where trying to con the officials now seems to be acceptable. TV replays are available within seconds from hundreds of different camera angles, none of which are currently available to the officials. We have access to those TV pictures but still can’t agree?
Not only are we not doing everything in our power to assist officials to make the right decisions, we are actively sending players out with the message that’s it’s okay to try and con the officials? So let’s be honest, what chance to they have????
If people are bored, go back over previous posts that relate to drinks whilst the game is being played, followed by any post match debate.if you find one where there is not criticism of the officials then please let me know which one that is.
There was some research conducted a few years ago where they reviewed the decisions of the officials to ascertain how many they had got right and how many they had got wrong. I can’t remember the exact figures but it was something like 97% correct decisions.
No official is beyond criticism. Nor should they ever be. But I do think that the constant criticism is way over the top. Play to the whistle. If the players and the powers that be are not going to do what they can to make things easier then my view is that you just get get on with it. We can’t agree after 24 hours and numerous viewings. What chance do they have watching it live, and just once? Personally, I prefer to focus on what we do as a club. What we can do to improve. To focus on the things that we can influence and change.
Time to show a modicum of respect and just get on with it. Mistakes will happen, but I would suggest that the officials aren’t the only ones susceptible. Perhaps if we concentrated more on what we can influence then we be in a better place?
As I said, just my opinion.
LPAG
Well said Steve. We’ve just seen a great example at Newcastle. Game is 1-1. Newcastle swing in a cross into the mixer. Newcastle player goes down down holding his face. All happens in an instant. Mike Dean waves it away, Wolves counterattack and almost score. They go on to win 2-1.
Slow mo reply shows clearly, without doubt, that the Wolves player jumped, smashed his elbow into the face of the Newcastle player. VAR would clearly have given a foul and hence a penalty, possibly a red card.
Dean clearly didn’t see it. The game probably changed because of it. VAR must come in ASAP, although I accept that it won’t solve everything.
A very fine report from the Master and a very informed and civilised debate. I think including me four of the posters were actually at the match and I sit in the North West side of the ground but halfway between goal and corner flag. I thought Tierney was a pompous little prick – his body language was more annoying than Mike Dean’s – need I say more? At the end of the game DePoitre simulated a foul by Sokratis in very similar circumstances to Guendouzi. No card was given but fortunately no penalty was given either although he appeared at one point to motion towards the spot.
I thought Xhaka was clearly clipped, Mustafi received contact and did not exaggerate it and Guendouzi clearly exaggerated the contact as he was running out of road at the byline. I confess I heard no thud but Countryman has led a cleaner life than me and has preserved his hearing better. I agree with Holic that Williams deserved a red card. I don’t understand or agree with the current offside rule. I thought Mane was offside against us for Liverpool and because the ball didn’t reach him it was contended that a new phase of play began. So it was with Laca yesterday. A goal then would have improved a turgid game.
VAR activated by appeal as in cricket ( you have two appeals a half) would extend games by ten minutes and if used as I saw recently in Italy it is disembodied from the game. You see the actual elements of an incident in cricket but you are never shown them in football . It would be better from an accuracy perspective but would significantly diminish the role of the referee.
I thought Emery possibly subbed two players too early this week and didn’t change the game as he did last week but I love his proactivity and it must keep the players on their mettle.
I shall return for the Burnley game as I won’t leave Mrs TTG at home in the evening until she is fitter
Great review, thanks Guvvy.
Cracking comments from many too.
Overall, I think VAR is coming whether
we like it or not. Personally I’d rather
have it even though it’s not a magic
bullet, but the argument that it
slows the game down is a valid one too.
More specifically for yesterday’s game
there’s no doubt to me that,contact
not withstanding, we exaggerated falls
to try and get decisions – all players do.
We cheated in other words. Sometimes
it works,sometimes it doesn’t, I’d prefer
it didn’t happen but…….
Tierney was strict on that but not on the
fouling which Huddersfield basically used,
and is also cheating however it’s dressed up,
to slow us down from the very first minute of
the game – hence my own frustration with
him. They did that to stop us because we
have better players – how is that acceptable?
And that’s without even getting to the
offside rule, where Ned is entirely correct,
but as the rule stands it allowed the
player to get away with poor play that should
have been punished.
All in all not a bad weekend for us, we got
the 3 points and Shitty will not be invincible
in any way, shape or form:)
Steve T@29: More to the point, how many refs know the laws of the game?
As for the rest of your post, spot-on.
As I said before, the offside law is too complicated for its own good. I can’t think of any parallel where you can be performing an infraction, but it only becomes a punishable offence in defined circumstances. I understand why the separation of being offside and committing an offside office was introduced in 1995, but the interpretation has just got more and more complex since. Any law you cannot understand is a bad law.
The other inconsistency is that there is no equivalence between attackers and defenders in as much as there is no consideration of a defender being ‘inactive’ when it comes to offside decisions.
Great report, Holic.
More excuses for absence from me, I’m afraid. You know why 😉
Always reading even if there hasn’t been any time for contributing.
Things are looking much better now but in case they overtake me again, thanks, Maestro, for another year of excellent blogging.
It wouldn’t be the same without you !
Love the new manager – we wanted, and possibly needed, a hard bastard to sort some of our squad out. Maybe we got a bit of a wolf in sheep’s clothing but this guy has transformed the mentality of the entire squad in a fraction over 20 games.
Arsene promised us he had left us plenty of talent – which seems to be the case. That talent had better apply itself now though, or it will be trying its luck elsewhere it seems.
Still plenty of defensive lessons to learn but who’s arguing with 21 unbeaten games … ?
Ned. Sadly, despite what we may think, I would suggest that they all do. The offside rule is an unnecessary, complicated mess. Of that im sure we would all agree?
TTG. Have you seen the game back again on TV or just live from your seat in the ground?
I’ve just watched the highlights again, just to satisfy my own curiosity. Having watched the Xhaka incident again, both in real time and in slow mo, I can’t see any contact at all. That’s not to say that there isn’t any, it just is certainly not clear from the TV footage. From block 4 I had absolutely no idea if contact was made.
Mustafi gets the slightest of touches. He throws his arms on the air, arches his back, throws his head back before tumbling to the ground as if he had been shot. If people thinks that’s natural then fine. For me it was massively over exaggerated and probably did him no favours.
Guendozi is a blatant dive in my opinion. There may be the slightest contact on his left hip. But it does not cause his left leg to capitulate and for him to fall flat on his face.
Onwards and upwards.
trev ?
Steve
It was a hard watch but I saw MOTD . I thought there was contact on Xhaka at the ground but the TV didn’t show it from a helpful angle . At the time I was pretty certain he was fouled but the replays illustrate the point that TV isn’t perfect in arriving at decisions.
Nice to see Trev back in the posts. Still no news from Clive
sitting here just before tomorrow, having finished “89” for the first time. after wiping tears from my eyes i went to the cabinet, got the glen garcia’s and the thistle glass, and poured a toast: to all those who bring our hearts joy and our souls peace.
what a finish.
leave it to spillchucker: glenfarclas, not “glen garcia’s”, whatever the hell that might be (highland tequila, maybe?).
Hope we can channel some of that
89 spirit against Soton on Sunday.
We will need it with Licht, Kos and
Nacho as our 3 CBs !
We will be vulnerable at set plays I
guess and I wonder if UE is considering
one of the young lads or even Jenks as
an emergency option.
Of such stuff are legends made. Glen Garcia indeed. 😀
If I were going to start a chain of Irish-Mexican bars I know what I would call it.
Oh wish I could have seen the 89 game live or on telly, I was 8 then and I am sure I could have handled the nerves, no ways, I may have just died in sheer happiness then as well.
The Saturday game was all about perseverance and for once I did not agree to Emery’s team selection. When you knew we had no one to create, either start with Ozil if not injured or at least Mhki or Ramsey. I know Aaron hobbled off the United game and Mhki has been average but we did not look like scoring at all throughout the game. Torreira and Guendouzi were excellent but they have been all throughout the week. It is the others who need to step up and it is particularly disappointing to see Mkhitaryan not do that. Someone with so much talent needs to influence games in a far better way than he does.
We do need Ozil and it is not rocket science, i really like Emery’s hands-on approach but he is wrong if he thinks we can manage without Mesut, you need your creative genius.
City lose and spurs win at Leicester, the league does look like being between pool and city but the top 4 looks likely to go to the wire, can we add in a cb/winger and enhance our chances for a top four.
Anyone who got queasy about one correct and two incorrect yellas on Saturday would be well advised to avoid today’s Arseblog piece on the finer aspects of the dark arts lest they lose sleep through Christmas.
Just sayin’.
Vinay, agree with your assessment of Mkhi. ‘Average’ flatters him somewhat. He certainly isn’t the player we saw set the Bundesliga alight at Dortmund. I think his spell under the Special Needs One’s cosh did nothing for his confidence. On your last para – probably not. However, win the next four games and we’re contenders, not just for the top four.
OM@41: At least with Licht, Kos and Nacho, the back three wouldn’t be short of experience.
BtM @44, that arseblog article is spot on. The lack of ‘dark arts’ has hurt us badly over the last decade. If he is responsible for the change in our attitudes this season, Juan Carlos Carcedo is one of the most important pieces in the new Arsenal jigsaw. The clips of him during the match and during training sessions suggest he is not a man you argue with.
Torreira is the first name on the team sheet for me not simply for his energy and creative and defensive contributions but also for his 100% commitment. It’s imperative he is available for the Liverpool game and as Blogs says, his fifth yellow card and one match suspension must have come and gone in advance of that. I think Unai will have it covered.
So now we have Juan Carlos Carcedo hero worship.
I didn’t think it would come to this.
Can I be a groupie?
Jenko Olive Oil
@45 Ned
yes, just short.
They’re all good players though so I hope
they can find a way.
Dark arts? Sterling is right, the meeja n this country is so racist
🙂
Finally watched the match on Arsenal Player. Much the same as previously posted. I thought Xhaka and Guendouzi had excellent dives that almost looked like they were fouled, while Mustafi’s was poor. Like someone put an arrow into his back. And speaking of Mustafi, the guy makes my head spin. Prior to his dive, he’s already seen Xhaka receive a yellow card for simulation. He’s already seen Sokratis get a yellow card and presumably knows he is suspended for the following match. And yet still dives. And to top it off, when he injures himself, rather than sit on the ground and wait for the medical staff to escort him off the pitch and allowing his sub a couple extra minutes to warm up, he has to hobble-jog off the pitch. Does he think he going to get a second yellow for time-wasting if doesn’t get off the pitch?
If Torreira does pick up his fifth yellow card in the next couple of games, can you imagine the hatchet job the tabloids will do on ‘cheating Arsenal’?
Ned @53, There will be mass hysteria followed by some ‘special pieces’ on how Unai Emery is bringing back the ‘card happy Arsenal’ of Arsene Wenger’s early years. I can’t wait mate. Bring it on.
The British sports hacks almost to a man hate Arsenal, so let’s get it out in the open rather than have to put up with their subtle digs or even more subtle bias.
ecg@52
I’m rarely fair to Mus but in this
case I think he was hurrying off
to help the team – it was still 0-0
at the time.
Daily Heil links, but excellent photos
https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2016/12/23/16/3B8A143800000578-4062310-image-a-6_1482510394588.jpg
https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2016/12/23/16/3B8930CA00000578-4062310-image-m-69_1482511326128.jpg
https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2016/12/25/10/3B8930BB00000578-4062310-Arsenal_fans_cleared_snow_from_the_terraces_after_George_Graham_-a-3_1482660435868.jpg
The Times says Spurs are facing a further delay to the opening of their new stadium due to difficulties in staging test events over the Christmas period. Too many Santa flyovers?
Do we want the Bindippers to beat Napoli and the Totts to survive against Barca thus knocking out Inter? I’d love to see an easy last 32 of the Europa League but it looks a tougher situation than last year.
I think I’d prefer Liverpool to survive and the Swampies to lose. We have to be back in the CL next year tye Europa League is mind-numbing
TTG, I don’t mind the Dippers going through though I really want them to sweat for it and pulling a few hamstrings would be a bonus.
The Swampies must always lose. Your grandson needs to sort out his decision making. Bad habits and poor life-decisions must be expunged at an early age to avoid catastrophe.
Dropped that s. Singular again!
Bath,
Spot on. I think we can take the Swampies in the Europa . The Dippers are more of a problem. Let’s face Oooooospina instead. You know what I think of him.
Now my grandson is a project I need to work on. He was very upset after the recent NLD! To get him to change I think they need to lose Harry Kane and maybe Pochettino. Both are possible. The Totts are placing massive emphasis on their new stadium. I hope it doesn’t receive an OTT reaction. We had a state of the art stadium a dozen years ago and nobody made much of it. Gosh I hate them! I’ve just written a piece for the next Gooner on them…..and it’s stoked up my dislike .
Come on Barca …and Inter!
in other news, the scummy-bastard nomads are down 0-1 to the barcelonetas. an excellent solo effort by our next new boy dembele made their makeshift backline look like a dog’s breakfast, second time around.
A long, exhausting and fixture-clogging run in the CL for both Liverpool and the Totts would be just the ticket. I would have no problem with them both being beaten semi-finalists.
And there will be better teams than Inter in the last 32 of the Europa to worry about.
What a terrible error by Ospina, beaten ( nutmegged) at his near post .And what a great goal by Dembele. I’d take him on loan!
The sun is setting rapidly on this Barcelona squad. It’s great days are long behind it.
it’s the second or even third barca squad
i was looking forward to meet the schlockers in Bakuuuuu
stupid inter(nazionale)
Napoli aren’t a bad side, Inter and
Valencia look the wrong side of so-so.
The rest of the CL turds look meh, though
I wouldn’t want us to drag out to Shaktar or
CSKA if they’re in it. Anyway, we can’t play
Napoli in the last 32. No one as good as
Athletico I think.
Of the clubs dropping down from the CL to the Europa, Napoli and Inter will definitely be seeded for the next round and thus we can’t be drawn against them. Galatasaray and Benfica will definitely be unseeded. Results today will determine which two of Brugge, Shakhtar Donetsk or Lyon, CSKA Moscow or Victoria Plzen and Valencia will be seeded and which two not.
The bookies have Napoli as joint second favourites with us to win the Europa outright at 6/1. The lot from the bus stop in Fulham are favourites at 4/1.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>