The O Men Take Gunners Back To Wembley
Mar 9th, 2014 by 'holic
There is something about pre-match refreshments in the spring sunshine. The talk was of team selection with some wonderful cricketing memories thrown in for good measure. Twitter revealed the team news. Lukasz Fabianski and Yaya Sanogo in, but a strong looking eleven it was.
The feelgood factor was raised further just seven minutes in when Santi Cazorla teed up Mesut Ozil for a superb pass inside the far post. The playmaker has come in for some over-the-top criticism in the press but showed again yesterday what he brings to the side. As well as his creative gifts yesterday he was more often than not the go-to outlet when we needed to relieve pressure. Several runs down the left flank got us on the front foot again.
It wasn’t all one-way traffic though, and Everton kept the tension levels high. One-nil is a nervous scoreline, and the advantage was lost when Lukaku knocked in a scruffy equaliser. A classic cup tie was taking shape, and the tension was evident as passes went astray from both sides. Much credit is due to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, rivaling Ozil for the man of the match award, who was guilty of gifting the ball to Everton but showed tremendous determination to get it back and nullify any danger.
The half-time interval was brightened by the appearance of Pat Rice, looking very well indeed and sounding back to form. He got the reception and the acclaim he duly deserved.
The second half started as the first had finished, with chances for Barkley and Cazorla being traded. Ozil remained a threat that the visitors couldn’t quite quell. The substitution of Olivier Giroud for Sanogo was to prove decisive. We were two-one to the good when Barry brought down the Ox, freed by Ozil in the box, and twice Mikel Arteta held his nerve to score, the first being ruled out for encroachment by Giroud. Is that really a yellow card offence?
Everton were forced to come out in search of a second equaliser and were picked off as the minutes ebbed away. First Bacary Sagna cut in from the right and waited for Giroud to find the perfect spot from which to convert. The scoring was completed by a goal described later on Twitter as ‘sumptuous’, and it was. Cazorla, Tomas Rosicky, and Ozil combined to tee up Giroud for a confidence-boosting second.
So back to that sunny beer garden we went to work out the options for Wembley and generally enjoy what had just taken place. The only hint of a dark cloud came with the substitution of Keiran Gibbs late on, clearly in some discomfort. Let’s hope whatever it was will not threaten his appearing in Munich on Tuesday. The representatives from the Kingdom of Fife kept my glasses charged, and provided some fine recollections of football in Scotland back in the day. The ‘holics were in good spirits. It was fun to see and be a part of.
Ninety minutes from the FA Cup Final. Is there a better way of ending what had been a tough, tough week?
221 Responses to “The O Men Take Gunners Back To Wembley”
Yay !!! 😉
Nice one, Holic.
Yes, great to see Pat Rice on such good form yesterday – and you lot too, even from the wrong side of the fence. 😉
Cheers Holic, top stuff! No sure I’m old enough to remember when the sweaties actually played a good game, as well as talked it, mind you.
Top four.
Heh, Esso. Lost count of how many times Cowdenbeath got a mention. 🙂
Glad you made it Trev. You must have enjoyed the game through the pain.
Good stuff, Guv.
Morning Cent 🙂
Morning, Guv. Pain and pleasure is the best, according to my girlfriend 😉
Is that really a yellow card offence?
Technically speaking, Clattenburg was right but referees are also supposed to referee “in the spirit of the game” and as we scored from the penalty I’d argue that no advantage was won and consequently he should have allowed it.
Still feeling bloody good about the win. Not just the win itself, it was the way we played too. The more I think about the game the more I feel that the scoreline wasn’t flattering for us, we were simply much better than them for large parts.
90 minutes from Wembley!
Afternoon Holics
Walked up from KingsX in the sunshine (Gooner Kevin is a fitness freak and walks back after the game)! Our pints were taken in the Hemingford Arms, on our route, and I only just made the kick-off.
The game mirrored the weather. A very entertaining affair with plenty to admire on both sides. The score was a trifle flattering but fully deserved, who knows what might have happened if Barkley had taken his two good chances. For the first hour 1-1 gave me a few doubts and the thought of a trip to Goodison seemed likely but the subs made the difference and we romped away in the final 10mins.
I thought Ozil had a very good game, showed plenty of spirit as well as skill and was warmly applauded when he took corners. Talking of corners, we had 10 in the first half and all were wasted, about time we came up with variations to our usual cross into the box. Most opponents have too many giant defenders.
The Ox was out to impress.Although he made one or two silly passes he bust a gut to recover possession of the ball and the fans loved it. Arteta showed considerable composure in the way he took both pens and this second goal relieved my anxiety.
Giroud’s two goals were well taken as results of lovely moves. I particularly enjoyed TR7’s run down the right in the move for the HFB’s second. All in all a fine effort from the boys, helping to erase the woeful display at Stoke.
Let’s hope our luck continues into days draw for the Semis and the confidence the team will have taken from yesterday’s performance is taken to Munich.
As always COYRs
happy readings
🙂
I awoke, unsure of where I was, with the steady grumble of traffic audible but distant from the street outside.
As I tried to focus on unfamiliar shapes around me, a flashback of the hilarity of the night passed before my eyes but my grin was quickly substituted by grimace – the onset of a hangover of gigantic proportions. The kind that you know is going to linger over you the whole day, irrespective of how much analgesic powder and comfort food you ingest in a futile attempt to ward it off.
But what a night. And what a day.
Racing from Heathrow, my nasal passages were assaulted by the fetid stench of the smelliest man on the Underground. The poor sod must’ve been living on the street, but still. Moving carriages did not completely solve the problem, and it was only as I walked up the gentle incline at the Arsenal exit, with the familiar footy smell of fried onions wafting down the corridor, that I started to feel normal again.
The sun was shining as I emerged outside, and waited on Wolfgang Smallballs, who was predictably late. He appeared 10 minutes later dressed in civvies and therefore, undercover. We headed for the Supporters Club, and threw some change at the wily old gatekeeper, and inside, met our fixer for the day, Glenn. (Thanks Glenn). Two swift beers, tickets in mitt, then on to the Tollington. It was a beautiful day – a far cry from the dismal front that seems to have settled over central Scotland forever, and just what beer gardens were made for. Great company and nervous anticipation of the contest ahead. Love it.
Just after 3pm, we were no sooner seated, when Santi left McCarthy on his arse and placed a deliciously weighted pass into the path of Mesut who dispatched it beyond the keeper with style. What a great start. We continued on the front foot for most of the rest of the half and ironically, a blocked shot from Arteta started the move which saw them equalise. I had not appreciated that Flamini was on yellow as he stopped himself carving Barkley in two, and thus we let them into a game that they had never been in.
At half time tabs and I queued for a beer that never came. Which was just as well, as a half gallon had already disappeared outside the ground. He was confident we would win, but I was nervous that by conceding such a soft goal we had given them encouragement. After the re-start, my head was in my hands following TV’s only poor moment in the game, which ultimately saw Barkley miss when it looked inevitable that he would score. When Arteta showed at the penalty that he had more nerve than I, only then did I start to relax. The introduction of Giroud made a big difference and whilst the third clinched the tie, the fourth was pure Wengerball. Seeing football of that quality has no equal in the world of entertainment. Some very good performances yesterday, but special mentions for Ox, Ozil and his isolated moment of madness apart, I thought Vermaelen very good yesterday.
Back at the Tollington, there was an enclave of Picts forming with BtM in tow with another of Fife’s finest. Steve T, Snowy, Holic and tabs were on parade for the Oppressors 😉 . As their buses left in droves, great sport was had waving off our Scouse visitors with an assortment of hand gestures and sizeable. grins like Cheshire cats. So the business end of the day being sorted, all that remained was the small matter of re-hydrating.
I made it back to Heathrow primed for a morning that started at the top of the page. Did I know that the Picadilly line split in two at the western fringes? Yes I did. Did it register in my drunken haze that the train I got on was headed for Uxbridge? That’ll be a no. Traumatised by my elongated journey, when I got back, I made a beeline for the Hotel bar for more Guinness.
After all, it was early. 😎
TH position
I find that
simplistic
and
insulting
“zico”
.
i stink like a good thing
yet
have two homes
.
reconsider your views
RECONSIDER THEM NOW
.
(or not)
Delia, I’ve been to the Hemingford Arms once. A really nice pub, I must say.
zico, I hope you didn’t get all the way to Uxbridge before realising your mistake? 🙂
Fine accounts. H, Delia and zico….almost like being there.
Sorry I missed the party. Not sorry I missed zico’s hangover.
Hope you gals have got yer yellow ribbons on! :o)
No Lars, North Ealing.
And comedy aplenty. 😉
‘part
from your smellyism
crackin write up
zico
.
any chance of that kenny write up ‘hol?
its hard to resist
that
Nice review ‘holic, cheers.
Sunny day here in the Lowlands, work to be done in the beergarden. 🙂
i’m the shifty one
in the corner h2h
get a bouncer
to keep an eyeball
🙂
Nice write-up, ‘Holic. As ever you make the far-flungs feel jealous. But a warm afterglow from yesterday’s game remains even at this distance, which is some compensation.
Good stuff, Zico.
I was driving alongside some of those coaches heading back up the A1 – some lengthy hold- ups at Henly’s Corner ( for those who know).
Strangely they didn’t seem to be in the mood for waving games, although considering I was lacking any red and white attire yesterday they probably just all thought I was a weirdo.
Kept me amused for twenty minutes or so though 😉
Great report zico.
although I think you got your kick off time a bit mixed up, either that or that was one bastard of a hangover. 😉
Heh, will do cba.
Semi draw to come in less then an hour.
London derby anyone?!
Good stuff, Dr Z!
H2H – well spotted.
Just after 12:45….. . 😳
@ 27
Did someone move Sheffield? 😉
Enjoy the garden, H2H!
The weather is absolutely brilliant here too btw, not a cloud to be seen and 13 degrees according to my weather app. Very, very nice. The winter may come to an end this year too…
Heh, I must be on one too.
Just took a quick butchers at the beeb and thought I saw that Charlton won, sun ust be stronger in the beergarden then I thought. 🙂
Ah well, whoever we play at least it will be in London, not real London like where the grove is, but close enough. 😉
Cheers Lars.
It was around 14 degrees here today, getting a bit chilier now though, so I’ll be moving more inside soon.
*as for the winter, it never really started here. Only once or twice it hit around the freeze point and I saw absolutly no snow.
Not that I’m complaining.
Howdy trev
Hope ye got through it rightly
Copper-fastened gooner ye are
.
not
only the smartest
fucker
here
ye
have
to take
the hardest token as well
.
when i eventually return home
Arsenal – wise
money mistress dictating
ill either
have
ordered
a
stand behind
lars wallet
or
indeed
a fine
Howdy do
.
COME ON YOU RIP F CKIN ROARIN F CKIN REDS
We’ve had very little snow here too this year and actually a rather warm winter. I bloody hate cold weather, had enough of that to last me a lifetime growing up in northern Sweden.
The draw is just about to start and is live on thefa.com right now, by the way.
Sheffield v City/Wigan
So we play Hull then.
Looks like Hull are on their way to Wembley……
And not for a play off. 🙂
that’s three no s then
cheers lars
🙂
Well, there are no two ways about it – not reaching the final would now be a massive disappointment.
I was slightly taken aback on the tube to hear a lot of London accents only to find they were home and away Everton supporters ! Interestingly they were decrying the letting off of smoke bombs which is apparently a regular and extremely anti- social Everton habit . They were also amazed that Martinez was prepared to play Robles in goal with Jagielka missing. I think they were right, to me the Everton defence always struggled to cope even before Giroud arrived. I was also surprised that Wenger picked Sanogo. He has more faith in the lad than I have at this stage of his career. To be fair to Ozil he needs a striker with good movement and pace ahead of him. Giroud has the first but not the second. Nevertheless Everton were nowhere near as formidable as they were in December and we had great performers in midfield in the OX, Santi and Arteta. The composure he showed with the two penalties against his old club was remarkable. I also felt TV did extraordinarily well ( one mistake notwithstanding) given his lack of game time . It was a great day. Bring on Charlton!
Sorry I meant Sheffield United!
Cheers Lars.
beeb slow today, nothing on theor yet.
Hull must be doable, but history advises caution.
How gave B’ham a chance against in our last wembley appearance? Or Wigan against City in last seasons final?
Speaking of which……
Come on you Latics!!!
Someone at the FA fucked up. They managed to air the test draw… the real one starts now – the one where we are drawn against City, I’ll bet.
15:57:
Hull 3-0 Sunderland
Steady on, Kevin. You ready for the FA Cup semi-final draw? It’s coming up very shortly…
Real slow!!
Bloody hell, we got City!!!
We’ve got City!
We’ve got Wigan!
Oh.
Fuck, it’s City/Wigan
Wigan it is then 😀
*tries to be theoretical*
.
fails
COME ON WIGAN!!!!
Have to beat the Sheiks to win it, I reckon.
Quite a path to the final, this year WHEN we make it. 🙂
Wigan looks good….They’re definitely up for it!
True that zico.
But when we’ve disposed of The Tiny’s the mickeys and the oiley Mancs, Sheffield or Hull will seem like an anti climax. 😉
The FA really don’t do much to silence speculation about draws being rigged with this cockup. They broadcast what turns out to be a rehearsal at exactly the time they previously said the draw would be, and when doing the draws they always have a fucking camera showing very clearly what number is on every ball! It’s the easiest thing in the world for the one picking the balls to just look at a monitor and “randomly” pick the right one. That draw is a joke.
Ah well, whatever. We’ll have to beat Man City in the semi instead of the final, then.
Lars@9 The more I think about the game the more I feel that the scoreline wasn’t flattering for us, we were simply much better than them for large parts.
Agree 100%. Especially after substitutions were made – I mean Giroud and Rosicky versus McGeady and Osman – just no comparison really. We won because we were better in all departments – Fabianski played well; Coleman wasn’t the danger he has seemed in the past; the Ox’s back-tracking nullified Baines (no wonder the Ox got substitued – the ground he covered yesterday); Arteta was getting forward dangerously (as well as having balls of steel) etc etc. Apart from Barkley, they weren’t particularly dangerous and we were from several directions. They just didn’t last the pace as well as we did.
Encouragement for the future – a lot of hard games coming up – Bayern, Totts, Chavs, Citeh (twice now) and Everton again. Swansea at home sandwiched in amongst that somewhere, I think.
It’s actually quite incredible:
We got the higest-ranked possible opposition in the CL qualifier.
We had WBA away and Chelsa at home in the COCup.
Dortmund, Napoli and Marseille in the group stage.
We got Bayern in the CL knock-out draw.
We got Tottenham, Coventry, Liverpool, Everton and City so far in the FA Cup.
Whatever happens at Wembley and/or in Munich on Tuesday, at least no one can say we had easy draws!
substituted even
An early cup final then!
dk: good point about the subs. And your remark about Baines reminded me that before the match someone (can’t remember who, sorry) said in the drinks that pinning Baines back was key and we certainly did that. He didn’t get too many opportunities to make crosses because they were wary of the threat our pace posed.
Am not so sure city are through just yet…..We’ll see.
PELANTY WIGAN!
Bloody hell, Demichelis is such a shit defender. How is he even in the City squad???
DeMichaelus, our ace in the hole. 😉
GET IN!!!!!!!!!
1-0 Wigan!
OK, I don’t expect it to last but at least it’ll mean this match will be a bit more entertaining until the inevitable happens.
Man City has two extra PL games to squeeze into the schedule and hopefully there would be some tiredness creeping in. On the other hand if we can manage to overturn our deficits against Bayern we will also have to balance the CL QF in the equation (don’t see City getting a big away win at Barca, even though Barca has hit a bit of a rough patch lately).
If we play compact, disciplined counter-attacking football we are more than a match to City. Ozil can pick their defense apart. If and when it becomes all-out attacking football we will be in trouble.
Actually prefer to play city than wigan in the semis, teams that have nothing to lose are dangerous!
🙂
Still good if city are out!!
Citeh getting stroppy.
COME ON WIGAN!!
Come on the Latics!
I agree with Dk that we were markedly superior to Everton. A cliche was going round that the shoreline was flattering but I don’t agree. We were well on top until they equalised and I think spectator nerves rather than their quality magnified the danger. Fabianski made very few saves and the corner count was about 15-2 in our favour.
Faustus: The schedule may indeed become a problem for City. I think a few of us had a discussion about this a while ago, if the knock Barca out they will play twice a week for pretty much the remainder of the season and even with the greatest of squads that is a real challenge.
Lars @ 66: I think DeMichellis is a Pellegrini favorite from his coaching days in Argentinian league and then later in Malaga. He was a very good defender in his Bayern days and I think he still starts for Argentina. Hopefully he is in the City team when we meet City at home and we can target him.
Top 75?
Also straining to get into the top 75 Latics fans. COYL.
Lars.
We have indeed had tough draws, but on the other hand, I bet all of those teams were pretty gutted that they were drawn against us too.
If there was a fix on for the F.A cup (and I’m not saying that you implyed that) then I doubt very much that the powers that be would want the two top teams playing each other in the semis. From a marketing point of view, it would be preferable for the top teams to be in the final, the nostalgic “magic of the cup” is all well and good, the plucky underdogs etc, but as a product they’d want the to keep the top teams apart in the semis to insure the final was a real clash of the Titans.
HT, wigan 1 up.
Dare to dream?
Top reports, ‘holic. Tollie and match reports being the two to which I refer. 🙂
Soooo close i can actually taste it…if i could, i would bribe the gods of football..where to find them…mmmh…
Speaking of the neighbors they seem to be getting in some good preparations.
http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/26500549
Lars @ 74: Yes, and that is why I am on the fence about them overcoming Barca at Camp Nou. On one hand it will give them quite a confidence boost but on the other hand it would make their schedule a very difficult one to navigate. If we are to win PL we need to beat them at home, and having them to rotate would benefit us. They are significantly poorer in form if any two of YaYa, Silva and Aguero are missing from the starting eleven.
H2H: Oh, they certainly were. That was one of the things I pointed out when we got Fenerbahce and people were shitting themselves. I (at least that’s how I remember it) always said we should beat them by a farily safe margin.
You are right, I am not saying it was rigged. I am just amazed that they are so incredibly amateurish about it.
8ball: I think Sherwood is taking his chances on a last roll of the dice by taking his criticism public and hopes that will push the players to work harder, and sometimes that can work so we’ll see what happens. It could of course also lead to him getting the sack, but he won’t be there next season anyway so he’s got nothing to lose.
2-0!!!!!!§
Two For Wigan!!!!
WTF!!!
As the grauniad MBM says, “Holy shit!”
Hahhahah! Wigan are dangerous! NO walkover for us!
Lars. Sherwood doesn’t strike me as a master psychologist but only Daniel Levy can be the judge of that I suppose. 🙂
Wigan are dangerous and worthy of respect but I would take them every time as opposition to Citeh!
Sooo close i can touch it now…any need to bribe the gods i wonder…hope’s not too good to be true…crossed fingers, toes…clenching other parts…phew!!!!
They’re sure not playing like their position ,7th in the championship. Let’s see if city can turn this around. Entertaining match with city throwing everyone at ’em with the triple substitution!
😀
City players getting frustrated…:D 🙂
Oooh, City hit the post…
Wigan need to kill the tempo of the game now. They are letting themselves be dragged into a gung-ho game which will only benefit City.
They’re getting stronger….
Come On Wigan!!!
Wigan may still be two up but I honestly still can’t see them holding on even for a replay. They are starting to tire and once the first goal goes in that will be the floodgates open.
They need to keep the ball a bit… easier said than done though!
Ah, bollocks – and just there, City got one back.
It has been coming. 🙁
*Cheats..
Woah, that was some stop by Boyce.
COME ON WIGAAAAAAN!!!
Fuck off with your 5mins ET
City fans already leaving ground…. 😀
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!
Can you fucking Adam and Eve It???
Ha ha ha ha!!!
Wigan here we come!!
HAHHAHAHAH
😀
HAHAHAHAHA WIGAN!!!!!! FUCKING A!!!
What a weekend!
2-1 for the bogey team….
Well, well.
I’m off skipping to six-a-sides. 😎
Here’s hoping we get the first goal first against them! They look like they can defend a bit.
I do not BELIEVE it!
Heh @ Lars Meldrew.
One foot in the Grove. 🙂
There is your fucking quadruple City, enjoy it… 🙂
Wigna will put in a performance against us in the Semis, but as long as we stay composed and play our game we should really see them off easily.
How’s that quadruple coming along then, City?
Very nice. Fair play to Wigan who dug in, held their shape and defended like dogs.
But they were running on fumes in the last 10. We have to run them into the ground, especially on that big Wembley pitch.
Bollocks, forgot to change my name back 🙂
Heh@ one foot in the Grove!
H2H@114: 🙂
Wigan did it again – would you adam and eve it?
Our biggest enemy is complacency now – we’ve got to win the cup…simply got to.
Lars@113: Victor Concordia Crescit
Quadruple my arse.
Sideways.
Something tells me we won the FA cup yesterday…but with the arsenal,you never know…birmingham…anyone??
Heh@122!
Tim, agree about complacency. From here on in it’s about attitude. Get that right and the cup is ours.
Highbury@124: Let us not jinx it but the 10-11 team was immature and a bad combination of cockiness and self-doubt. I remember there were some talks about whether Cesc should join in lifting the trophy as he was out injured. Immensely immature. Kos and Szcz got all the blames, quite deservedly as that was bad, but the team played very poorly in that match. Something tells me this team won’t allow that kind of a performance in such an important match.
If Carlsberg made sporting weekends surely this would be an example! Blimey I never saw that coming!
They’re just showing highlights from yesterday on the telly here and I don’t know how many times I’ve seen that first Chelsea goal but I still can’t figure out what the hell Verthongen was trying to do before he slipped. He just sort of stepped in front of the ball and then panicked when he realised he didn’t have the ball at his feet. Very wierd.
Well, well, well…
…what do you know?
🙂
An FA cup anyone?
What I noticed from that game Lars, and I’ve said it before, is what a liability Lloris is. I still don’t get why he is so highly rated and what really gets me is how he manages to stay on the field the entire 90 mins every game.
He completly took Eto’o (I think) out, yes he was offside (he wasn’t), but at the time he didn’t know that. Later on when one of the Chavs rounded him and scored, he tried to take him out too, but the Chav rode the tackle, fair play to him, many strikers would of took the challenge and went down.
There’ll be a red card for him soon and it will be long overdue.
Evening, cba, et al,
And a fine one it is too. The sun has just disappeared over the horizon – as, indeed, have Manchester City and the sheiks of Abou Diaby.
The Wigan Army will be making travel arrangements for Wemberlee – they could all travel together I guess, but that may require TWO coaches.
Anyway, good luck to them. They are clearly capable of springing a surprise but it has to be preferable to another game against City.
Just a thought – can anyone remember how long it is since we won anything ?
You’d think the pundits would have mentioned that at some stage.
Lars,
Must be something they have been coaching into Vertongen and TV5 at Belgique HQ. 😉
H2H: totally agree about Lloris.
Trev: quite possibly so! But at least it was quite easy to see that Vermaelen was just trying to give the ball some welly 🙂
Heh @ two coaches.
Evening Trev, how’s the knee?
Just asking…..can anyone explain why the FA Cup semifinal ties are on a Friday and Saturday, not Saturday and Sunday? Does the circus come to Wembley on that Sunday?
H2H
You’re right about Lloris. Next Sunday would be a nice time to chalk up a red!
Interesting to note the tone of a couple of stupid Arsenal blogs and no doubt the pillock Myles Palmer. ‘ Wenger should be sacked if we don’t win the cup now! ‘No mention of who steered us past Spurs, Liverpool and Everton!
Had a quick look at todays gossip column, came across this;
Real Madrid midfielder Asier Illarramendi, 24, has apologised for running in front of a bull dressed as Batman during a carnival in Azpeitia.
Full story: Marca
Why the hell was the bull dressed as Batman? 😉
Bayonne – the semi finals are on the Saturday and Sunday I believe.
The Guardian MBM coverage of the City-Wigan game had some really tiresome pops at us:
– First some mocking when the draw was made
– Then at the end of the game we get comments from the Guardian writer like ‘No excuse for Arsenal now to not win a trophy’ and ‘don’t get too giddy Arsenal’.
*rolls eyes*
Evening all ( its morning where I am).
Just watched the City/Wigan game. As good as a tonic!
Fair play to the exhausted Latics!
It may be immensly immature on my part, but the look of desolation on Nasri’s face really made my day!
Wigan and Hull to beat for a trophy?
Never get a better chance.
Dont fail me,boys.
The biggest obstacle to our successful triumph in the FA Cup is……ourselves.
We have history.
Please no no shows in the SF or Final.
COYGs.
@126Doctor Faustus,that was indeed one of the worst set of players wenger has ever managed…daring to dream again?
Charlie; yes of course it is Saturday and Sunday. Just that some website(s) have the dates as 11 and 12, notably the FA. It figures..
Heh!, H2H @batman 🙂
bath,
nice impression of Jim from Vicar of Dibley – “please no no no no no shows ……..” 😉
Well well…I’m now officially excited about this.
Naturally if we win it, it won’t even count as a trophy in most people’s eyes, the media will be falling over each other to say how easy it was.
Anyway getting well ahead myself. I have a semi final to absolutely brick it about.
TTG, Charlie.
Pretty amazing that a loss for City ends up as a stick to beat Wenger with for something that may or may not happen.
Yesterday’s underdog, as many gave us little chance against Everton (which i thought was strange) are today’s red hot favourite all of a sudden. Football and fickle go hand in hand.
I can’t believe some of the reactions, Myles Palmer really should be more careful what he says, because he is the mouth piece for the AST, a group that claims to speak for supporters, well, he doesn’t speak for me.
It’s not just the fact that they spout this nonsense that gets me, I mean, we’ve just become favourites because the team that were odds on to win the thing have just been knocked out by the team we will face in the semis…… Don’t these clowns get irony?
Cup games are interesting because of the possibility of upsets, we are now the biggest scalp, that itself brings it’s own pressure and dangers. Wigan will be seen as having nothing to lose, even though they have just knocked out one of the most expencively gathered teams in history and, lest we forget, are the current cup holders.
Our name’s not on the cup yet, but let’s at least try to get excited by the prospect instead of dooming on the what ifs.
Plus there’s a whole sea of schadenfraude to bathe in….
Come on in, the waters lovely.
Just had a catch up of the drinks. Fcuk my old boots as the saying goes, who’d a thought it. What a brilliant weekend, we beat the mickeys, the sun was shining, shitty humiliated in their own back yard, we smacked the Taffs with the egg ball and as for the Spuds, they even give us a laff when we dont need cheering up!
Meanwhile, what will happen to those pundits ( experts is the last thing to call them) who were creaming themselves over Shitty doing the quadruple. I guess they still wont forget the mantra about us winning zip for the past 9 years, they been practising it enough since leather arse died 😉
Bath 141 spot on.
Multiple hehs at Trev, H2H and others. Lars, hope you are feeling better – what was it like to watch a match sober 😉
I’m old enough and cynical enough to believe that there’s a reason all the high profile doomers are currently giving it “our name is on the cup” this evening. They’re setting the stage for the mother of all bleating, finger pointing tantrums if we don’t make good on their own idiot boasts.
Two tricky games between us and silverware. Cup ties played at Wembley… anything could happen. The team need to focus and play their hearts out, because this is a young and talented squad, and if they win the FA Cup this season they will go on to win more trophies together.
COYG
City can fuck off. The most overrated team in living memory. Crowned kings of the universe in January before they’d actually achieved fuck all. They’ve always had a shit result in them, and I’m glad one came today: well done Wigan.
I look forward to the press turning on them come Thursday once they’ve crashed out of two competitions in five days: only that won’t happen, because teams who spend a billion quid and only win the league cup probably deserve a bit of tolerance and respect.
Uplympian, contrary to the impression I may have given I have actually watched matches sober before 🙂 But it was very, very strange to sit at home on my own and not be down the pub!
H2H: let the doomers and whatiffers doom and whatif while the rest of us have a giggle at the expense of City and worry about the semi after we’ve taken care of every game we have scheduled before it. I don’t even remember the date of the semis, I just remember it means our home game v West Ham will be rescheduled. We’ll have plenty of time to crap our pants about it when the time comes.
N7: it struck me this evening that City are showing a lot of the same frailites that we have been showing in many of the past seasons where, generally speaking, the highs are very high and the lows are very low – if they get off to a good start in a game they can score a hatful against pretty much anyone, but if they struggle they can lose to anyone.
Evening all. Well that was an interesting weekend??????
Yesterday? Top day. A great home win. Like Zico there was a time when I wondered if we would regret not turning some of those chances we had squandered into goals. I need not had worried.
Some great performances. Özil was motm for me. A great all round performance and we was instrumental on almost every thing that we did that was worthy of note. AOC had a mixed game. He gave the ball away far too many times for me. One real big plus though was the drive and enthusiasm that saw him win it back on almost every occasion.
One disappointment for me came in about the 10th min of the 2nd half. A great break from Özil and Sanogo in support. As Everton looked back how many of our midfield were on a lung bursting run to get up in support??? None. As I looked up I saw Arteta, Santi, Flamini and AOC just jogging over the halfway line with no sense of urgency at all. For me that is something we need to improve on.
The after match drinks in the Tollie sunshine were a pleasure as always. Big smiles accompanied a few very pleasant ales. Good beer and good company. You know who you are.
So on to today. All of a sudden we have Wigan in a wembley semi final with the winners facing either Sheffield Utd or Hull. I’m sure we would have taken that. We surely have no excuses now. 2 good professional performances should result in a pot for the cabinet. But that will bring it’s own pressures. If we fuck this up from here then the knives will well and truly be out. But as I said, I genuinely don’t see any reason why we should not lift a trophy. What I would say though is that I sincerely hope that we go into the semi and play our strongest side. None of this cup goalie or resting players malarkey. Just get in, be professional, win the game and get out.
On to Germany. Bring it on.
Look at what our beloved club has been reduced to. Mixing it with the likes of Hull, Sheffield Utd and Wigan. Shameful. This is all Arsene’s fault!
Props to Uncle Charlie. There’s a man who reallytells it like it is.
COYG
Massive HEH to NBN@122.
Just seen the goals on Danish TV – Clichy is still the same plonker I see. Every time he has a quick decision to make, he dithers. Well done, Wigan – they entered the lion’s den and took their chances. We just need to treat them with respect – they may not have any superstars but they are clearly a team who battle for each other. No complacency please.
As for Citeh – what can you say about a squad that cost 500 million and lose to Wigan TWICE? If it was us, the press would be gloating over AW like vultures. On the other hand, Barcelona are not playing so well at the moment so that could still go either way. I wonder how much the players’ minds were on that match today, up until they went 2-0 down and woke up a bit.
In the meantime, plenty to think about before the semis (April 12/13). We live in interesting times.
Uncle Charlie dares to tell DA TROOTH!!! 🙂
dk: that “defending” before the second Wigan was classic Clichy. He’s always had a very poor awareness of what’s behind him which has cost numerous goals over the years.
From the Beeb;
Sunday 13th April 2014
THE FA CUP WITH BUDWEISER – SEMI-FINAL
Wigan v Arsenal 15:00
*It does say that fixture time and dates are liable to change.
Exactly what i asked for in my pre match post,
Verve/fight/energy,everything that was missing at Stoke.
Everyone played their part in a fine win.
My man of the match is not one of the players mentioned in the posts above.
Rather one of the unsung heroes doing all the dirty work,the one who is now the natural leader vocally,always shouting,always organising,always cajoling his team mates to stay focused,never giving an inch,always abrasive, ” over my dead fucking body pal.”
The Flamster.
I love him.
The opposition fucking hate him.!!
Cheers
The Sweeper.
H2H: I’m still having difficulty believing that the opponents aren’t liable to change – today’s result is like a dream (even though I’d have preferred to have beaten Citeh in the semi of course).
Heh Clive, Ol’ Flamster would of been a good fit for the Ramblers. 😉
dk, it was kinda sureal when the final whistle went and Citeh were out, must admit though, I’m not at all disapointed that we won’t have to face them at Wembley.
Mustn’t forget folks – the double is still on.
What happened to the treble?
treble, dk…i mean, really 😉
H2H,
Good and tough as the Flamster is,he wouldn’t have got in the Ramblers sides of 67-70.
With Johnny ” Iron legs” and Billy ‘ Emergency Ward ” running our midfield [ when they weren’t banged up that is ] we were unstoppable.
Heh, great names those Clive, I stand corrected. 🙂
Been away.
Caught the stoke fiasco. All that need be said of that embarassing performance has been said.
And happily the mighty gunners put everton to the sword in impressive fashion. Hells yeah!
Bring on bayern munich. Lets give them a taste of real 11 on 11 gunners football and see how they like that!
Gunners 3-0.
There … I said it.
Whoops – sorry guys – mental block.
It must be the romance of the FA Cup that blinded me temporarily.
Homer – if Wigan can beat Man City at the City of Manchester Oilfields, anything can happen in Munich.
@lars
I totally agree re the comparison between City and some of our old sides. I thought the same even when they stuffed us in Manchester – they have had the look all season of a team with a glass jaw. The presence of Clichy and the chinless wonder only adds to the sense of déjà vu.
When you spend a billion quid and the left hand side of your back four is Clichy and Demichelis something has gone wrong.
After several at the bar mentioned the gazillions that City have spent on players, I was curious and did some quick research. City’s starting XI cost somewhere in the range of 175-180 mil in transfer fees, with another 110+ mil on the bench. Since 1993, Wigan have spent a total of about 109 mil on transfer fees…
For all the dosh spent on Citeh, I don’t think any of their defence except for Kompany would get a game for us. I’d take a few of their forwards though.
We should go out and play our best attacking game. If anyone is likely to fuck up the cup semi it’ll be Wigan, dreaming of successive FA Cups while coming down from a high after beating the Arabian knights.
They’re in the Championship for a reason, exemplified by losses this season to Huddersfield, Doncaster, Leeds, Millwall, Brighton, Blackpool, Watford, Leicester and Bournemoth. And in Euro matches have lost to such illustrious clubs as Rubin Kazam, SV Zulte Waregem and NK Maribor.
Yes they played well today, helped by Man City having an off day or simply going through the motions expecting a repeat of the 5-0 thrashing they gave Wigan in the League Cup. But there’s little evidence to suggest they will give us much of a game PROVIDING our minds are on the job which, after Birmingham, Bradford and Blackburn, they surely MUST be.
I mean, Wigan doesn’t even begin with ‘b’. As teams go they’re far from a Big’un…
Öskar
we are no fluke, we have beaten tott, lpool, and everton,
City’s quadruple seems to be shrinking to just the single tin cup we usually give the kids an outing in. Oh dear, how sad, never mind.
I wonder who will replace Pellegrini?
Öskar
good write up holic and some great drinks at the bar above.
my two cents worth on the match.
the speed and tempo of our play was a welcome return. When we play at the pace and with that precision of passing, and finish in that clinical way, it is a return of the very best arsenal.
Our intensity and effort as a team was also a welcome return. this is the type of intensity and effort I would like to see us be more consistent with and hopefully this is an area that arsene can find the magic formula for with this squad.
arsene got the team right,the substitutions right and the team well and truly motivated and up for a game. well done sir. well done.
I thought the everton goal was in part caused by Fabianski not making a decisive decision to come out for the ball. I believe Bac gave him a serve about his staying back. Not sure how others saw that…
for all my previous criticism of this team and our manager, the one area I have been a firm believer in has been ozil as a great addition for the entire club.
it was very noticeable for all, that his style and temperament wether he plays an absolute blinder or an absolute shocker, his manner and temperament on the field remains the same. he looks like he is calm and cool and this is just another game.
the best part for me of this match, was simply the quality of the football we displayed was thoroughly entertaining and a pleasure to watch.
Please Arsene, more of the same, more often.
..except when he looks beaten, disinterested or as if he’d rather be anywhere than at the Ems, Aussie. Then he looks like a complete waste of money.
If AW could find a way to motivate him when things are going wrong he could be a real asset to the club.
Öskar
Oskar @ 172: Wigan management probably would use today’s result as a motivation to really push for the play-off position, and hopefully they move up back next season as they play a more palatable style of football which has remained even after Martinez left. However for our SF we need to be focused, composed and play our game while giving full respect to the opponent and that should be enough.
Except for the mishap at Stoke and the opening day chaos against Villa we haven’t lost any match against an opposition with significant difference in quality and I think that speaks volumes about this team’s maturity and focus. The fanbase should stay calm and supportive instead of throwing anticipatory tantrums in case the coveted cup doesn’t now materialize. Let us play this cool and not get into some media driven frenzy about “now a must win” … we didn’t arrive at the Semis because some big shit team fluffed their lines, but because we defeated three quality PL oppositions in previous rounds.
Antipodean, gerson? I’m English, thank you. 100% English on every line of a family tree traced back to the 14th Century so far. And from the tone of your posts I am not your friend.
Öskar
Quite right, Dr F. I was saying the same thing, more or less. Wigan did well today but as far as I remember they didn’t have a shot at goal before the penalty, and only three on target in the whole game. Man City just threw it away for whatever reason. Sure they’ll be motivated to win it again, but at the back of their minds will be the thought that they’ve already overachieved so losing will still be an acceptable result.
Öskar
As I said before. Well, well well?
Firstly, we have been here before. Haven’t we lads?
It’s a great achievement that we have made it to the semi’s (again by the way. Fcuk what the press want us to believe). I think the work starts now. We cannot afford to rest on our laurels. Two big games this week, as with every game until the end of the season.
COYR
Here’s to Johnny ‘Iron legs’ and Billy ‘Emergency! 🙂
Wembley, 3 years back on that day against Birmingham, painful memories but then that game should be used as an example on what not to do. It was not about that mis communication between kos and woj, it was more about what the team did not do the whole game. no focus, hardly looked convincing, if i remember correctly only Arshavin looked the part and Nasri( cunt) missed a couple of easy chances, complacency kills and hopefully the message is drilled upto everyone’s heads, Stevie you do the honours not the boss, he is way too nice.
City season looks over what with the league slipping away and barring a minor miracle at the nou camp even the the ucl is over this week. In a way this is a reality check to a lot of our fans to that simply going and buying any tom dick and demicheles will not win us everything.
If only our fans give this team the due credit they deserve!!!!!! FA cup semi finals, league within a shout, still the season a disaster?????
Saturday was a proper football game, due credit to Everton for playing their part, brilliant game, great energy levels, high quality performance and a little bit of magic from the magician, what else can you want, wait Pat Rice waving to the crowd, ultimate.
Bayern maybe a long shot but an early goal from us may set the cat amongst the pigeons.
Ugh.
I don’t like Mondays. 🙁
We’ll win it! 🙂
Look on the bright side Zico. The sun’s out (in London at least….) we’re in the semis, we have a day of childish sniping ahead from almost every corner of the press for the ‘easy’ ride we’ve had in the cup (which we can smile paternally about, pat them on the head and send them off with their crayons) and tomorrow it’s the CL.
I like Mondays when I wake up and realise that Wigan in the semis is a reality, not a dream.
Vinay@181: In a way this is a reality check to a lot of our fans to that simply going and buying any tom dick and demicheles will not win us everything.
I agree, Vinay, but it’s a bit of wishful thinking. Those fans have the attention span of a one-year-old. They will still be on AW’s back come the summer – trophy or not. The fact that the Sheiks have spent so much for so little return will be totally lost on them. Not to mention the Totts – hahahahahaha 😀
“Simply buying any Tom Dick and Demichelis” hahahaha.
Zico,
Tell me why ? 😉
Sod`s law dictated we would be drawn against city, so I gave their game a miss until I got into my car to do a little shopping, turned on the radio, in time to hear the commentator inform me that Wigan had a couple of minutes to hold out. Wh-a-a-t! This morning, even the manager of the coffee shop (a gooner) couldn`t resist mentioning our last faliure when odds on to win. I suppose we`ll all get that until we have laid that particular ghost.
Trev@187: 🙂
@ 187
Silicon chip switched to overload, innit?
Hi all
Wigan ! shitty dropped the ball again *pause for smug smile* I am not normally one for tempting fait but that has to be our cup this time it just has to be.
We wont under estimate Wigan, credit were credit is due they defended very well and were dangerous on the counter, but I cant see us dropping the ball on this one.
Regarding Bayern, I dont see a happy ending there but I dont think that would be the worst thing in the world either. That would just leave a semi final to add too our list of games to play over and above the usual PL fixtures and touch wood a final at the end of the season.
As said in previous drinks a 4th play off for the CL would be far from ideal in a world cup year, so a solid 3rd or above would be great.
Cheers
Haven’t been to a Cup Semi since A v Sunderland at Hillsborough (over 40 years ago), how time flies. Sadly I don’t expect to get a ticket for this one.
I don’t know why but a certain League Cup Semi, second leg, at home against Wigan comes to mind. Let’s hope history doesn’t repeat it’s self! Not one of our greatest nights, think it was something to do with the away goal rule.
To those going to Munich, here’s hoping they have a great night and an Arsenal performance to be proud of, fingers crossed.
COYRs
A scored draw will suit all barring a miraculous win and going through to the Q/F. Draw, head held high, shoulders not dropping and a derby to look forward to this sunday, lets just pray for no injuries, not even a niggle please, give it a shot but not your best one Gunners, we need that for sunday.
This result provides an outstanding reminder of the importance of one’s perspective (optimistic or pessimistic). Last week at this time our perspective was quite different and who would have predicted how positive perspective is going into tomorrow’s game. And just because we achieved one positive result. Not to lessen the importance of the positive performance we put in to getting that result, of course. Optimistic lager please, barman. 🙂
Vinay @ 193: I understand your priorities, but top level sports really don’t work like that. You cannot claim to be a European powerhouse of a football team without behaving like one, and believing like one. The team will go full throttle and give their all, that is the best way to motivate themselves. This is what footballers come to play at Arsenal for, to participate in these types of high-octance matches against great European teams and then play with self-belief. We cannot ask them to “…but not your best” … I am sure Arsene would rotate based on any medical reports and he won’t risk anyone already on the red zone, but the team will go out to play and cause an upset. It is capable of causing an upset.
Well said, Dr F!
Cent @ 196: Thanks, the team composition in the attacking third would be interesting. I don’t know at what role exactly but I think TR7 will start, and so will Ozil, of course. Does that mean Ox to play for one of Arteta/Flamini or would he be used from the bench in the final thirty odd minute?
If we can score an early goal this would turn very uncomfortable for the Bavarians.
Excellent post Mr.Maestro.
Sorry to miss the Scot-o-‘holics but must’ve been a great post-match celebration with ‘Fife charged glasses’
We’re going to Wem-ber-lee…
Surely it’s one too far. Surely. Surely?
Scores!
Not too far for Cent apparently. 🙂
The young lad showed some real speed, not to mention quickness, on that one.
Shine on you crazy ‘holics. All the way to Wem-ber-lee. 🙂
bt8b@194: better make that a half; whether half full or half empty your choice 🙂
Well in, Cent. And they say you don’t win anything with kids…
Dr F, I think the only players sure to start tomorrow are Fabianski, Per, Kos(if he is fit), Arteta(if back from suspension), Ozil, Sagna, Gibbs(if fit), Arsene will decide the others at the last possible minute.
Haha, cheers, Gents.
NBN. That reminds me of the age-old question, What is more enjoyable, 4 pints or 8 half-pints? Will have to do more experimentation …
We’ll win the FA cup and CL! You heard it here first! 😀
But it may be a league too far am afraid.
Esso.
Just got round to viewing the link you posted with the article from The Guardian. Good read, cheers.
Hi every single hölic,
Happy to be back on top form after a few moments away. Great analysis and sarcasms up there too. Have had really good laughs. Contrary to some observations, something tells me Wigan Will Wank at Wembley. The men from NL are too motivated not to stuff them. They’ll be looking to silence even the ghosts from Afghan. Am on their side.
Won’t to mention the lack of verve and sloppy passes that happened a few times. Hope this marks the end of such shit.
Hi All
Pl W D L F A Pts
Bayern München 24 22 2 0 72 11 +61 68
Please dont take this as a negative, but this is the reason I dont believe we will be sucessfull in Munich. I also dont believe the Bundesliga is as strong as the PL so look into these stats as you will.
I just dont think going out of the CL would harm us in our current situation. I dont think Pep will under estimate us for one second, if you have ever heard him speak of Arsenal it is always with alot of respect and admiration which will make him even more sure that the team he puts out knows what is at stake and last year was far to close for comfort than Bayern would care to mention.
I by no way want to see a reserve team or a lay down and die performance, but I for one will not be judging my team on one night in Munich when a domestic cup is up for grabs. I too will do back flips and sumasults if we win but I will not put the boot in if we dont. I would love to see us lift the CL trophy but that was partly shoot down with a red card as up til then it was very 50-50 and a great tie was killed off.
So here`s too a great performance and hopefully a win in Munich or here`s too a FA cup final which I also hope we can get too and win. I would be more upset at not getting to the FA cup final than if we lost at Bayern.
Cheers
This is the head-to-head stat that most worries me.
Shots on target in the Champions League this season:
Bayern Munich 59; Arsenal 23.
But then, last team to keep a clean sheet against Bayern: Arsenal — yes, that night in Munich last year. However, we have only stopped the opposition scoring three times in our last 27 CL away games.
So I guess we’ll just win it 3-1.
I believe.
Do you?
BMBD
Lonestar- sadly no I don’t believe we can give the best team in the world a two goal lead on their own ground. I think we were unlucky to get them so early but after the first leg no team on earth can turn this around against them in Munich. A draw would be an unbelievable result and would set us up for the NLD,hopefully after the Spuds blow it against Benfica.
Jack Jebb makes it Arsenal youth 1 Everton youth 0
That’s ok, TTG. I’ll believe for the both of us. 😉
Win the next match.
BMBD
Akpom has got a second before half time
I have consulted my crystal ball.
We will lose in Munich.
We will win at the Home of Civil Unrest (HCU).
We are going to win the FA Cup.
COYG
I’ll settle for that N7………..
But you forget about the PL.
I’ll take that as we’ll do the Double. 😉
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>