Ten Men Went And Drew, Went And Drew At Tottenham
Mar 5th, 2016 by 'holic
Let’s start at the very beginning. It’s a very good place to start. With an acknowledgement to Oscar Hammerstein II and an apology to Arsene Wenger. The pre-match team news revealed four changes from Wednesday’s starting line-up. David Ospina was enforced by the injury to Petr Cech. Danny Welbeck for the out of touch Olivier Giroud was a sensible gamble. I wasn’t alone in being baffled at Kieran Gibbs for Nacho Monreal, the best left-back in the Premiership, and Mohamed Elneny for Joel Campbell, our man of the match against Swansea.
It transpired that Monreal had a ‘slight calf problem’ (so why was he on the bench?). Elneny too did not look out of his depth and was quite an important player for us in the wake of the red card for Francis Coquelin. The end result, and the spirit shown to achieve it from 2-1 down and reduced to ten men, fully justified Arsene’s selection. Humble pie for me please.
A riveting contest started at a frenetic pace but quickly Arsenal settled into ‘rope a dope’ mode, inviting Spurs onto them and looking to counter attack. It is a tactic that has yielded some positive results in big matches in the last year or so. It worked for a while. Just once did the hosts fashion a clear goalscoring opportunity and Ospina flung himself to his right to save wonderfully from Lamela.
A flurry of yellow cards arrived just before the half-hour mark. Hector Bellerin and Coquelin for Arsenal, and Lamela for the dark side. The game was being keenly contested but by and large the discipline called for ahead of the game was in evidence.
We turned the half on it’s head six minutes before the break. Welbeck cut the ball back from the left flank to Bellerin who played it into the centre slightly behind Aaron Ramsey. The Welshman improvised with a back heel that bobbled up and beyond Lloris. My thoughts turned to the travelling faithful. A goal against them at the Lane makes all the effort getting into and out of the dump worthwhile.
Tottenham 0-1 Arsenal
As the half drew to a close so the Gunners started to look more threatening on the counter, with Danny Welbeck in particular proving a handful for the Spurs defence. He couldn’t find a finish from a lovely Ozil pass, but went closer with his head and drew a fine save from Lloris.
As we ended the first-half so we started the second, in complete control. It took five minutes for Tottenham to get another effort on target, but Ospina was equal to Walker’s long-range effort and Gabriel tidied up. At the other end Alexis was frustrated by Lloris.
Only a moment of foolhardiness could have derailed us. It arrived when Coquelin, warned by the manager at half-time not to pick up a silly second yellow, did just that with a pointless mistimed lunge at Kane who needed no additional encouragement to chew the cud. It was a no-brainer by him or for Michael Oliver, refereeing superbly to this point. No complaints about the red card from this quarter. The Gunners faced a tricky 34 minutes plus injury time.
The match took yet another dramatic change of direction. Rose and Alli had efforts blocked before Ospina produced another brave save from Kane. Thank goodness for goal-line technology which proved a few centimetres of the ball had not gone over the line. It seemed only a matter of time before the equaliser would arrive and it did when Lamela diverted a corner into the path of Alderweireld who drilled a smart half-volley under Ospina from point-blank range.
Tottenham 1-1 Arsenal
Within a minute one became two. Gibbs played Alli onside, he chased a ball to the touchline and backheeled the ball behind Per Mertesacker to Kane. The England striker cut inside and curled, it has to be admitted, a wonderful shot just inside the far post. The Gunners appeared to have shot themselves in the foot, but showed remarkable character to respond.
Tottenham 2-1 Arsenal
Ramsey and Dier traded chances before Alexis’ frustration boiled over and he responded to a shove by the already booked Lamela with a push of his own. That only one of the pair was booked was a bit of a surprise. Lamela (the spellchecker keeps changing him to Pamela!) was immediately hooked by Pochettino. Desperate times call for desperate measures. Arsene took off his remaining defensive midfielder, Elneny, to add Olivier Giroud to the attacking mix.
Within a minute of the change the ten men were level. Bellerin played a peach of a ball into the path of Alexis and the Chilean ended his goal drought with a fabulous shot inside the far post. Cue more incredible scenes in the visiting supporters corner.
Tottenham 2-2 Arsenal
The next significant moment I will not describe myself. You will find this next paragraph in the BBC website’s report on the match.
Wenger may feel his side might have gone on to win had they not been left with a numerical disadvantage – and they had a genuine grievance when referee Michael Oliver inexplicably failed to give Spurs’ Eric Dier a second yellow card for a crude shirt-pull on Olivier Giroud.
Howard Webb agreed it should have been a second red for Dier. It was a mistake, no question, but a rare one by one of only two referees who I really rate from the PGMOL. It possibly came too late to be a game-changer, but who knows? Bellerin too survived a Lamela moment when he tugged Alli back. He was probably helped by the Tottenham man going down in instalments seconds after the tug was over.
There was time left for our man-of-the-match Ospina (he showed some grit) to produce another fine save from Eriksen and Lloris dived to keep out an Alexis free-kick. And then it was over. It took a while for the blood pressure to settle, hence the delay before writing it all up. This was a gripping derby, one of the more entertaining of recent years. In the dark of night we can see that the outcome, though a fair one, has hurt both clubs. Leicester won at Watford and now lead Spurs by five points and ourselves by eight.
I have always believed if we did not lose today that we would finish above Tottenham, and my mind is unchanged. However eight points gap with just nine matches remaining is a big gap to close, and it is out of our hands. Will Leicester buckle under pressure? We have to hope that is the case, and now we have to build on the spirit we showed today that was singularly lacking against Manchester United and Swansea.
Enjoy your Sunday, ‘holics.
108 Responses to “Ten Men Went And Drew, Went And Drew At Tottenham”
A reminder
Teams that did not win the PL with 5 or more points above 2nd and 9 or less games to go:
United 97-98
Arsenal 02-03
United 11-12
Liverpool 13-14
It’s still all to play for.
On the way back – Fuck em !
3rd – I’m confident the neighbours will finish no higher!
And we will!
As for the scenes outside the ground – that’s why WHL is the one ground I won’t take my son to.
That exactly what I saw Holic thank you for your insightful report, I kind of thought Gibbs played Ali onside but certainly disagreed at the time.
Countryman
Shocking behaviour I would never take my child there too many brainless cunts up there if you ask me!
We need to display today’s attitude throughout the run in and learn from the improvement in defensive solidity, team balance and attacking threat that today’s selection delivered.
Carpe diem Arsenal.
Still think it’s between us and city.
…..and a fine report Guvna.
The improvement in our attitude was extraordinary. As long as this Arsenal turns up for the rest of the run in, we will give ourselves a real chance but as you suggest, it’s in Leicester’s hands now.
Up for the Cup.
Forget the PL.
You have got to stop copying John Cross and Mike Walters, H. I mean, you’ve used the word “the” at least twice. Show some originality…!
(or alternatively, fuck ’em)
Good stuff.
I was worried about quoting the BBC, cynic. Hope they appreciated the acknowledgement. 🙂
I would suggest simply calling them both twats, but they must get it so often it’d be like chucking a cup of water into the sea.
As if anyone would copy them.
They’ve never done a telly advert.
Not like that dreamboat, Henry Winter.
Free advert innit, Holic?
Attributed quotes are entirely kosher.
The wait was worth it H! Very fair report . I only saw the game on TV and I prefer to be at a match if possible but I rarely go the Snakepit now although I have stood on the old Ledge and Park Lane End.
I was very pleased today. Wenger picked a very sensible side ( the Nacho swap did not hurt us because Gibbs did well and his presence on the bench underlined our lack of options) . He also made good substitutions.
It was nerve racking to lose transmission in injury time for two minutes and when it came back on we looked about to score..
There were lots of reasons we were better today. We had more mobility with Welbeck leading the line and Ramsey playing a freer role. Elneny impressed me again. He is tidy and disciplined and gives the midfield a more robust shape. He and Cazorla might be an interesting pairing because Le Coq has underlined why he is such a risky option ( like Wanyama) . Ospina was very good today although he has a habit of not catching shots cleanly which did not cost us today . Gabriel and BFG did well but the Brazilian nearly got an OG at the end. I genuinely believe with eleven v eleven we probably would have one. This game showed we have real spirit and resilience. We still lack leaders but there is some real character in that side. It’s not lost yet.
Just back from the lane….thank fuck we moved to the suburbs 🙂
I saw the reception on Twitter and linked it on the last drinks Chippy.
Utter scum.
You’re a brave man!
Chippy
Good man glad you have made it home safe and sound! ??
Bath,
If you’re In a group of more than 5 the cunts won’t touch you / Always been the same, They are bully boys as soon as you give it back to them they don’t want to know – Honestly officer it wasn’t me 😉
Thanks TTG. My first solo trip there was 1970. We started in the Paxton, then moved in numbers to the Shelf, and before halftime we were in the Park Lane. The trip was a very different experience before the advent of all-ticket fixtures and low visitors allocations. In the early seventies the crowds were roughly 50/50 and depended on how early you got there and got in. I love that in the ground we are safe these days, but the scenes before the match today show the police need to approach the fixture differently.
Evening bath. The acknowledgement reference is in regard to a conversation on Twitter between John Cross and Mike Walters. The latter accused bloggers of being ‘idle cretins’. Idle? People who write having finished a full-time job on evenings and weekends. It started with an accusation of plagiarism. Agree one or two bad eggs do lift stories like that, but surely none have done that with Walters’ drivel.
Cross was very holier than thou with Arseblog as well I thought. I don’t use Twitter but after yesterday I had a look at Cross’s page/timeline/whateverthefuckit’scalled. Wished I hadn’t!
An excellent report H.
I must say that for large chunks of that game we were second best. It worries me sometimes how poor we can be when we don’t have the ball. I thought we grew into the game and the side definitely had a better shape and balance.
Le Coq was exactly that. A cock. There are no excuses for such buffoonery. He has always worried me. He has highlighted how devoid we have been in that area over the years. His rashness is something that he needs to control. I’m sure there have been many posts where there have been comments saying that he was lucky to stay on the pitch.
What impressed me most today was our spirit and attitude. Something that has been sadly lacking in recent weeks. Welbz was a constant threat and a pain in the arse up top.
The goals we conceded were not great? Would we have defended better 11 v 11? Who knows? Like others above, 11v11 may well have been a totally different game.
The spuds will be hurting after throwing that away. That has to be worth raising a glass to at least.
Onwards and upwards people.
In the early 70s my mates included both Gooners and Spurs fans. It seems difficult to believe now, but we would go to both grounds together, getting into the family enclosure for a few shillings (we were too young then to go to away games,probably about 13-14). Sure we would take the piss but the sheer enmity wasn’t there (unless it’s the rose tinted glasses of memory speaking). That all changed a few years later, in the late 70s, by which time I was going to away games.
Sometimes I feel a million years old.
Holic, I saw your comment in yesterday’s drinks though I didn’t know the background.
Some of these sports hacks are the ones who are idle cretins and nicking a living. Several think they’re media superstars because of their regular appearances on Sunday Supplement and that people give a monkey’s about their opinions.
I think I recall Blogs in the past having issues with at least one who just cut and pasted stuff from his site.
Nice summary ‘h; just the way I saw it too.
Now to go on a finishing run! Up the Arse!
Countryman 100,
That’s exactly why I stopped taking my boy with me to matches at their place! Feckin’ unacceptable!
Our next five league matches against West Brom (H), Everton (A), Watford (H), West Ham (A) and Crystal Palace (H) are now all must wins if Leicester are to really start feeling the pressure from our chase. Pressure that they just don’t seem to be feeling yet as they’ve only got the Premiership to focus on now and Ranieri seems to have them well and truly chilled-out! Hope the Mahrez injury is going to keep him out for a few games to handicap them a much needed bit! Up the Arsenal! COYBG!
Dan. They are must win games, end of. Our recent form means we should start looking down as well as up. We are 3rd in the table. City are 4th, 2 points behind with a game in hand. The mancs 6 days ago were 10 points adrift. If the beat West Brom tomorrow then that is cut to 2. We are 3 points ahead of West Ham with a trip to their place just around the corner.
We need to find some form and quickly. A few more of those “one offs” and it really won’t be looking good at all. Every member of our squad needs to grow a pair and fast.
Hopefully that’s the last we see of the Coq in ‘big’ games. His lack of discipline again his major failing. Any combo of El Niño, Santi, Rambo and Jack would make a much better pivot, while also offering more in attack. Like his namesake affecting weather, El Niño did a great job today disrupting the LWCs normal patterns across much of his mandate and his offensive game also looked promising. I think he has a great future.
The BFG also had his best day for months. Time and again I thought he was going to be caught out, but time and again he wasn’t. He was a tower of strength at the back, as befits a world cup winner with more than 100 caps. What is it they say about form and class?
Congrats also to Gibbo, a more than adequate replacement for Nacho, despite the knockers. And OspinO brilliantly channeled Petr with probably the best performance in his Arsenal career.
But JC subbed on at the end to possibly steal a win? I have to assume Theo was being saved for Tuesday. 😀
Oskar
Feo contributed as much today as he did in his last two appearances, Oskar. He has a lot to prove on Tuesday if he gets off the bench at Hull.
Cheers Holic for a fine match report.
I think we all would have taken the draw beforehand in view of our recent form, so to achieve that with having to spend the last 30 mins or so with 10 men was a notable result. What was most pleasing was that the team didn’t hide and gave every effort to earn a much deserved share of the spoils.
This doesn’t disguise the fact that we remain short of top form still but grinding out results like this is preferable to our recent weak-kneed defeats. If we can maintain this spirit, we can still finish at the top but we depend on Lesta dropping points along the way – while it’s still possible there remains hope.
All in all, can’t really complain with the 2-2 – especially when at 2-1 down and with only 10 men, I don’t imagine many of us thought we’d come back. Sadly, I think it’s probably not enough: the 0 points out of those Man Utd and Swansea games has all but done for our title aspirations.
As for the individual performances, I second everyone who’s mentioned Elneny. I thought he looked classy for the first 60 minutes – he’s all action, quite strong, but he also sees the play quickly and passes early and efficiently – a quality all too lacking in our other, rather lumbering CMs at the moment. I liked reverting back to our more solid look of last season with Ramsey stationed out on the right (irrespective of the goal, I thought it was the best he played for a good while.) Welbz was also good – when he plays with hunger, he’s a real handful – now if he can add proficiency in front of goal, then he’ll be a player! I do like the idea of having Welbeck and Giroud up top and going 4-4-2 for certain phases of games too.
As for the title, I think 75 points wins it. For us, that means 8 wins out of 9, or 7 wins and 2 draws out of those 9. No form to suggest that will happen, but we are just about capable. Let’s see if we can break the habit of recent years and win away at Everton in a fortnight’s time – after that maybe I’ll believe. Until then, as Steve T says, probably best to focus on maintaining the gap from those below us.
And I’m certain Leicester are going to majorly wobble before the end of the season – still not convinced they’ll win it, but it will take one of Spurs, Arsenal, City to go on a really good run now to take advantage.
Steve T @28,
Yes indeed; everyone’d better grow a pair of feckin’ humongous ones very fast from now! No more associated limpness can be tolerated either. COYBG!
Had to go out with family just before Sanchez scored, but I can provide this gisty first half goalkeeping summary:
Ospina saves from Lamela.
Lorries does not save from Ramsey.
Having watched the highlights on Arsenal.com I was surprised at how Harry Kane deliberately puts his foot into coquelin – if he doesn’t do that – coq don’t get a red. One could argue that coquelin shouldn’t of given him that chance, but its a shame that football is played like that. But it is what it is. The lads done us proud.
The latest DVD from the Crowing Cock Collection:
http://www.101greatgoals.com/blog/arsenal-fans-troll-spurs-dvd-cover-2-2-draw/?
Le coq. Stupid challenge on kane. Stupid red.
But hes been a revelation since his return from charlton.
So he made one stupid decision today.
Some says jettison him. Suddenly hes not good enough for others.
Come on…Thats baloney. Lookit; gilberto is gone and not coming back. Le coq is a fine player and will continue to improve. Amd i think that elneny was sharpe today, btw.
True that 11-11 i think we win today. And its hugely frustrating to come up short at whl. But seriously – lets not go overboard guys.
As you know i flit in and out if the bar due to work and social calls. So i eeill do my best to respond. But please. Le coq is not suddenly a poor player.
Coquelin’s second yellow was indeed very unintelligent today. But the idea that he is highly undisciplined in a myth, or a confirmation bias at best.
In 14-15 PL he just had 5 YC and NO RC in 19 appearances. He doesn’t even crack the top 70 “indiscipline” table
http://www.soccervista.com/cards-Premier_League-2014_2015-836118.html .
In 15-16 he has 6 YC and just 1 (today’s) RC in 18 appearances.
That is, he on average gets a card every three matches. For the crucial DM role he plays, often covering down the flanks for our marauding full backs, and the ball-winning responsibilities he has been given that is actually rather impressive in terms of discipline. This was his first red in PL in nearly two seasons.
Until we find someone who is better than him in that role and also enjoys that role and thrives playing in it — Gilbertos and Makeleles don’t grow on trees — we ought to support one of the key players in our set-up.
Elneny offers a very promising prospect for the box-to-box, which is his preferred role and where he played majority of the his career at Basel, with his tidy forward passing and tactical acumen. But we don’t have enough high press or tracking back in our forward line to be able to play two “passer” CMs in the middle of the midfield, we need one tackler who is fundamentally defensive minded. Options other than Coquelin are Flamini or Chambers, who I believe will do better than Flamini if given a chance.
Homer I agree with you on the Coq issue (hopefully it aint as bad as others think) 🙂
Coq is still young he will learn form his mistakes come on it’s not like Viera or others did not make any mistakes before they reached top flight.
If as most of you Holics say would remain 11v11 then we would have taken them to the cleaners. We were way too cautious to star with once we scored the goal we found our rhythm and it’s a real shame we didn’t take advantage of the moment and go for the kill.
Yes they had more shots than us yest they dominated us for the fist 30 minutes but it certainly wasn’t die hard 100 percent scoring chances was it now?
I say mucho grande cojones from now on!
bt8 @ 34
Shame you have missed it but you are spot on!
bath @36
Ha ha there will always be a DVD perhaps they can get promoted to BlueRay one day 🙂
Doctor Faustus @38
I honestly believe that is down completely to his inexperience?
ATG @ 41: Assuming you mean his red card today and not his moderately impressive low card count, yes I think it is partly down to a career that is still taking shape. Also since his return from injury he has not been physically as sharp as he was last season.
However I think the way we play, anyone playing in that position would find himself be carded in a rate similar or higher. Santi Cazorla of all people got one red and two yellows in PL this season, in 13 appearances! That is because deep lying midfielders often have to make that final decisive challenge to either break the counter-attack or to stop a cross.
That said, Coquelin’s tackling technique can improve a little. TR7 and JC28 have this one legged slide and drag back that he can pick up.
Santi had 14 appearances this season, not 13 as mentioned @42.
Miss the maestro of two-footed genius. If we win against Everton (and if we manage a win away at Hull then then WBA match would probably be postponed until after the Interlull ) and then have Santi back once the league resumes, we can hope for a key influential role for him as we rise up the table.
Leicester’s last three matches are ManU away, Everton home, Chelsea away. They also have Hammers at home.
Spurs still have to play at Liverpool, Chelsea, Stoke. And have home game against ManU.
Arsene and the leaders in the team will be definitely making the point that this Arsenal side is well capable of winning all its remaining matches, one disciplined, intelligent, fearless performance at a time. We have been nowhere near our best, and still within a shout. Time to be at our best for the last sprint of this strangest of marathons.
Coq may not have a high card count, Dr F, but he is frequently close to losing his cool, and this affects his play too often. Or doesn’t affect his play, like today. He’s too much like Song for my liking (in particular giving away frees in dodgy areas), but without the attacking side Song had to his game.
Oskar
With all due respect to the salty OTD, song’s offensive game left the back four exposed often. Too often for my taste ;).
And then BOOM, gives away a free kick in a dangerous spot.
I wanted alex song to be a superstar. But he just didn’t have it. Lets not let the rose colorerd glasses turn into revisionist history.
13 points out of the last 10 matches (30 points). And you still believe you can miraculously win the league. It will not be fair to football. Arsene Wenger has failed. He should just honorably resign and let’s try someone else. He always make the crucial decisions but hardly takes responsibility for our failure. It is either the ref was bad, luck is not on our side, injury crisis, Victor Wanyama, Diego Costa etc. He is a very predictable coach. I use to know his substitution even before the ,game begins. He has been doing the same thing for 12 years without result, yet he feels it’ll work out. Let him just go please.
Hi All,
I regularly read the match report here and most of the times my doubts or questions about the match or the team are usually answered in the report or are discussed in the comments section, which I truly love 🙂
However, there’s something that is bothering me and I have not read about it much anywhere (or I might have missed it)
So I thought I would just put it across in this forum.
It’s about the team selection. (Although, I completely trust the boss and his judgement and have been his fan since I started watching Arsenal play.)
Why are Campbell and Giroud are not starting many games now especially imp. Games. They were the players who were in good form, I have seen Giroud start a few games but Campbell has been completely side tracked with Ox and Walcott coming back.
I think Giroud and Campbell should really start the games because both of them have excellent attitude and amazing spirit they just keep on going like Sanchez. Walcott and ox can be used as substitute for sometime till they find their form.
Campbell might not be as good as them but in form and in rhythm he is dangerous and the physical presence that Giroud offers us up front, wellbeck is not able to do it as of yet. Even in yesterday’s game I think after Giroud came on the space upfront opened up a little.
So I think may be if we can play Campbell ozil n Sanchez with Giroud upfront wid Ramsey and Coq in d middle and the usual back 4 Of Kos , per , bellerin n Monreal, that could help us win some matches and on bench if we have someone like wellbeck to replace Giroud and Walcott/Ox to replace Campbell that would be good and then when Cazorla is back Ramsey could move to right Cazorla in center n Campbell to bench.
I still really think we can do it this season if we can just use some of our players more effectively and if all imp. Players stay free from injury till the end of the season.
Just a thought!
Love Arsenal!
Thanks 🙂
Cheers!
Ramsey ran through on goal with minutes left and before he’d had time to react is lifted myself three meters off my couch without having to propell using arms or shoulders. I’m not sure how I managed to get airborn but there I was, hanging in thin air watching Ramsey slowly looming down at the ball with only the keeper to beat. Milliseconds were taking hours to pass. Then, time sped up again, I hit the couch with a thud and Ramsey hadmt got his foot down in time. The moment has passed. But for the briefest of moments I felt a joy so over powering I’m I felt sure that God really did exist and his name wa Aaron Ramsey. Alas it was not to be. But how close he came..,,,,Great game. At 10/10 we win that one.
@Jonno
Ah.. an ‘extra-couchery experience’, it’s been happening more so of late, happens at critical moments in time.
😀
Great result considering the circumstances.
Let’s beat Hull and get a winning run started. Leicester will choke, I’m convinced of that.
I see the knives are out on Coquelin as expected. The red card tackle was naive, rushed and stupid, but he was awesome and all over the Spuds players the whole game before that.
But, some here, like Oskar, waited so long for him to make one mistake. Hope you are happy now. Reminds you of Song, but without the offensive abilities, are you serious?
The same can be said for Ospina, too. One of most underrated Arsenal players in this last couple of years. He made some crucial saves yesterday, but wait, his first minor mistake in the next couple of games and he is terrible once again. If he was on the goal for the Swansea’s second instead of Cech, he would’ve been crucified.
As for the game itsef, good result in the end, considering all the factors. Elneny was very active and reads the game well. The only thing that worries me was his lack of speed when tracking back after 50 minutes. For a moment I thought Arteta is on the pitch. But good game overall, decent player.
I was very pleased to see that Ramsey-in the middle experiment is maybe finally over. It took some time and many points were lost, just like it was the case a couple of years ago, with Jack and Ramsey experiment in the middle.
To be honest at the time, I thought that didn’t worked because of Jack but now I am more sure it was more because of Ramsey. He just doesn’t get good with anyone in the midfield, bar Arteta maybe (mainly because Arteta is both a creative dm but can protect the back four at the same time, so Ramsey dont have playmaking duties that much and can run up and down the pitch as much as he wants) He basically does that on the wing too and that is what he is good at, I guess. He can get his forward runs from the wing more frequently, without the danger that our formation will lose its shape.
Thought that Gibbs was decent, although couple of passes towards the end went straight into Spuds players legs. Alexis was way better and Welbeck and Bellerin were brilliant.
As for Ozil, I am on a opinion, maybe unpopular, that in a games when we don’t tend to dominate the play, we are better without him. Barcelona game cames particularly in mind. When we are all behind the ball and counter-attacking football is the strategy, we need different, stronger kind of player in his position.
Yesterday we gained a point but more importantly I think we restored some confidence. We can build on this game for the rest of the season.
Two things surprised me about yesterday.
One – We didn’t lose after falling behind, especially after recent results and performances.
Two – Bellerin’s yellow card was only his second of the season. Come on, Hector, you’re a full back. Yellow cards are part of your game plan, you’re either the world’s cleanest tackler or you don’t do enough of it.
Defenders should pick up bookings in the almost non-contact version of football that is played thesedays – if they’re doing the job properly. More kicking please 🙂
Holic, Coutryman, Bath
We all have memories of problems at the Lane. The first time I went on my own my Mum was petrified. It was 1967 or 1968 and I stood in the Park Lane End. We dominated but lost to a Gilzean goal and the police bottled it arresting innocent people when mayhem was raging below them. When I got home it had been revealed that an Arsenal fan was found in the Park Lane with an air rifle.
The last time I went was with some Swampies fans. I hate it that when they score you have to stand up so the others don’t rumble you are a Gooner. They salvaged a point in the last minute with a Jenas goal .
My daughter has two boys one who supports us and the other Tottenham. Yesterday she said was a great diplomatic result but she was still disappointed we didn’t win . You can’t overcome Gooner DNA!
Spuds definitely 2nd best yesterday.
They might have had a lot of possession but didn’t do too much with it apart from the 2 goals and a couple of decent saves from Ospina.
I think that game at Upton Park on Wed took a lot out of them.
After we equalized,there was only one team looking like a winner and it wasn’t them.
Despite his goal,i thought Alexis was way still way off his best.
Even his goal was a bit of a mishit.
Whether it gives him back his confidence,i guess we will find out over the next few weeks.
But i must admit to being very surprised at the end of the game,to see him turn on his heel and march off the pitch straight down the tunnel,without a backward glance.
No acknowledgement of his own team mates,not one handshake for an opponent,and not even a cursory wave to the away supporters.
He even ignored Arsene and Bouldy on the sidelines.
Is there some rift there after his comments in the press last week,??
Or is he just an arrogant fucker who thinks he is better than the rest of his team mates.
I was seriously unimpressed.
Alexis an arrogant F?.. Sometimes i wish the team would be more arrogant.. it’s as if nothing is ever at stake at times.
Still he should have acknowledged the fans.
Up The Arse!
I’m still very optimistic about this season, but worth pointing out that we’re only 1 bad result away from being overtaken by West Ham and City. And with Utd improving too the Top 4 is still very much at stake!
Had to pee guys. Sorry.
I’ll take the one but could easily have been three – Coq cost us the other two, no doubt. He does lots of good things and shows us what we’ve missed over time but I’m not sure he’s the final solution.
Bellerin – love your work but please, sometimes, just put your ***** foot through the ball.
Mert – last season I think. Gabs – needs more games, he’ll be right.
Alexis – the goal will do him good, I sense a strong ending.
Welbz / Ospina / Elneny – all good, kept us in it.
Ramsey – no idea what to conclude really. Before his goal he was pants, then he pops up and at the end might / should have won it. Infuriating care of possession and Hollywood passing but you can’t deny that even when playing crap he still puts in a shift and is often likely for a goal. A conundrum wrapped in an enigma.
Ozil – love him but missing in action yesterday, not for the first time unfortunately. ( Cue a massive bullocking from the assist crowd.)
Realistically we’re in a battle for third/fourth – I think City will rouse for second.
UTA.
Alexis isn’t an arrogant fuck; he just hates not winning. What’s wrong with that?
Lurky@52: Don’t think Ramsey-in the middle was an experiment but a necessity forced by the injury list. It is not his best position, no question, and restricts his ability to get in the box (a goal and a could-have-been yesterday).
Agree with all those saying Ospina is underrated. There were plenty in the bar at the start of the season with misgivings about Cech coming in and whether he should have been the No 1 ahead of Ospina (misgivings that most of us would agree Cech has vanquished by his performances this season) but none of that diminishes Ospina’s quality.
These last nine rounds of games are going to be a dog-fight. I hope that yesterday was, at last, a sign that we are up for it.
Clive@55: even if Alexis’s goal was a mishit, his reaction afterwards showed what it meant to him to end his recent goal drought, and that his luck might have turned. Kane hit the post and the ball went in. Against, Swansea, when Alexis hit the post with a not dissimilar curler, the rebound went straight into Fabianski’s arms. Such are the small margins by which points are won and lost.
Holic, excellent report,
I was watching a fairly small screen, from a less than ideal position, at a health club. The players were so small it was hard to identify them until I’d been watching for about 15 minutes and my eyes had started operating at f22.
A worrying defensive half of the team actually performed very well, at least until Coquelin’s rush of blood to the head, although Gibbs’ habit of following the ball and letting his men go is a never decreasing worry. At least we showed some fight and spirit yesterday – sadly lacking vs Man Utd and Swansea. Overall, in the self-inflicted circumstances, a good point which I’m sure would have been three, had it remained 11 v 11.
Alexis in some confluct with his team mates ?
Good. If his words in midweek hurt a few egos, I’m glad. I bet they didn’t hurt as much as the previous two performances hurt the fans.
Well played yesterday, travelling Gooners.
Glad Snowy returned safe and sound. Personally, I don’t venture over there any more. Last time I did, an Arsenal fan from not too far behind me was carried out with a knife wound to the neck.
Dave, our visiting Spurs fan, and many people I know personally, are genuine Tottenham fans and support their team in exactly the same way we do. There is though a section of the Tottenham crowd who remain a throwback to the worst days of the Seventies.
They are welcome to enjoy their matches on their own. Their club had better hope they treat their own brand new seats and toilets, if their stadium ever gets finished, with a bit more respect than they treat ours.
Dr Faustus,
Interesting last three fixtures for Leicester.
I’d not bothered to look as all the pundits have been syaing they have a great run in – they’ve played all their difficult games already etc. etc.
Tottenham’s demise will begin in earnest next Saturday. Dortmund in midweek with Liverpool to come next weekend while we either rest some top players in the FA Cup, or face WBA at home. I wouldn’t take WBA lightly but if we have any title pretentiobs left, at all, we HAVE to win that.
Unless, of course, ……..
Love the title, Holic. Oh, and the write-up on the game isn’t bad either 🙂 I can rest easily over the rest of the weekend knowing that I’ve enjoyed the authoritative and definitive account of the game.
Isn’t it great to see Danny Wellbeck back? He, Wilshere and Santi have been bady missed. Even better to see some evidence of spine and will to win from the starting eleven yesterday. Another could have, should have…….
Goes off singing happily “Ten men went and drew………” CBA could make a song outof that I bet.
He may poo-poo it and not want to admit it, but The Curse of Aaron Ramsey is real.
He’s killed Nancy Reagan now.
Is that a leak from Wales you’re revealing, Cynic?
Trev @ 65: I think we are better at putting a run of results together when we are not favorites. This team will become better at handling the favorites tag once it wins the league once. It was same with the FA cup, in 2014 we were nervous wrecks in the Semi and then in the Final, but once this generation got their first trophy the next year’s run to FA cup success was more assured, including a very impressive away win at ManU.
Once we win the PL I believe we will handle the favorites tag much better and not choke the way we did last month. And in this season being already written off for the title may work to our advantage in the remaining nine matches as the team forget about the overall narrative and focus on each game at a time. Arsene does know how to put together a run at the final sprint.
That is why I think City is still as much of a favorite to win the league as the three teams above them. In terms of individual quality they are the best team in the league (and I believe we are second best, lacking the ruthlessness of Aguero and the solo match-turning abilities of YaYa) and they have the experience of chasing the title from behind in the run-in.
I won’t be at all surprised if our penultimate game away at City becomes the title-determining one.
.and ManU loses to WBA!
Not too bad a week.
I agree 100% with that analysis Dr F @69. Much better for us to be written off and chasing someone down.
Looks like only one team reduced to 10 men couldn’t get points this weekend is it just me or does anyone else dislikes Van Gaal? I can’t bloody stand the bloke especially after he threw himself flat the other weekend!
Spot on Dr F @ 69
@ATG
More satisfying than looking at a flattened Van Balls, is ole Fergie’s face after the match. Thousand yard stare! He’d be better off keeping his horsies company…
😀
Ha ha good one that is priceless BB ?
Poor old Wenger- if we don’t get a Champions League place he will be pelted with abuse but if we do it will be dismissed as a meaningless bauble by his detractors the ‘ fourth place trophy ‘again.
Meanwhile Aaron Ramsey is plagued with guilt as a 94 year- old woman bites the dust.
I hope we put out a strong team on Tuesday , much stronger than in Barcelona , the next week. We must aim to get back to Wembley and also hope that the Totts and Citeh are sidetracked by their European adventures
Manure were not horny enough today. Can’t believe we lost to that lot, still hurts.
More Thatcher than crofter then , eh ?
*isn’t surprised*
classless
Dr Faustus @69, agreed.
it could turn out just like that.
Personally, I too have always preferred chasing to being pursued.
Which turns out to have been just as well. 😉
cba, we used to have a lot of class and we still have a lot more class than most, if not all other football clubs in the world.
However when it comes to the club’s relationship with the fans it’s definitely a master and voluntarily indentured serf relationship rather than the community programme that most football clubs started their lives as.
So it seems from the responses,that everyone quite happy for Alexis to ignore all and sundry after the game,and march off down the tunnel.
All the rest of the team,subs as well,were all hugging and congratulating each other for a point won under difficult circumstances,then after the accepted time honored courtesy of shaking hands with your opponents, to a man they all went over and applauded our fans for their fantastic suppoort.
All except one.
Didn’t know he had done that. Poor show really, other players have been absolutely slaughtered for doing the same in the past, but I guess if you’re popular it doesn’t really matter..
Didn’t say I like it, Clive,
I hadn’t actually noticed it at the time but if there was a bit of ill feeling over his remarks, then tough. Someone needed to say something about some pretty dire performances. They’ll get over it, especially if they start winning again.
Might all be nothing to do with that, of course. Who knows ?
Clive@80: tip of the hat to you for noticing the Sanchez solo departure. It is uncharacteristic behavior. There must be a backstory there. So will reserve judgement until we know what it is.
My daughter noticed it and told me how disappointed she felt about it, particularly as he looked as if he was extremely pissed off.
I have to say that I am not overly impressed with the manager’s response to the often poor acknowledgement of the fans by a significant number of the team after home games. I don’t go to away games so cannot comment on them. However Per, Kos, Petr, Feo, AOC and HFB generally walk round both the Clock End and North Bank and acknowledge the support.
I do think Arsene should send them over to the away fans if any fail to acknowledge the travelling support.
Yep, agreed Bath, with reference to the fans.
As far as any spat berween the players goes, I’ve said my piece already.
Little tune for cba if he drops by later
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsXJcIODLtQ
I haven’t been “waiting for Coq to make a mistake, Lurky (#52), I’m being perfectly consistent. I am one of many who admit he’d been surprisingly good since his recall, however I’ve always said I think we can do better.
I agree with Noosa in #59 … “He does lots of good things and shows us what we’ve missed over time but I’m not sure he’s the final solution“. Otoh El Niño appears to have more self control and a better overall game and just might be – although we’ll need to see more of him to be certain.
Oskar
Alexis departure could mean anything, from a desperate need for a loo to he’s rejoining La Liga in the summer (lots of movement in and out of RM and Barca being rumoured). His comments about gunners ‘lacking hunger’ also supports the latter.
I hope he needed a pee.
Just have to wait and see.
Ahh, what a poet is me.
Oskar
@80: I’m with you Clive, and I don’t buy the “he hates losing” part. His first goal in many months, if he hates losing he should have a hard look at himself.
@76/ksn: West Brom hare tough to play against like all Pulis teams. We should do well not to underestimate them next week-end.
Anyway there’s a great article in the Guardian, for once not about mettle, bottling etc but on how Wenger’s tactical choices made the difference: http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2016/mar/06/arsenal-arsene-wenger-tactics-spurs
As for Coq, a good game and he’s the second coming of Makelele, his first red card in 2 seasons and he needs to be replaced…
Hi Matt
Hopefully if we beat Hull on Tuesday,we won’t have to play WBA,as we will be playing in the Cup Qtr final.
So that game won’t be played till April earliest,by which time hopefully Santi will be back.
So if all goes to plan we will only have 1 league game left this month which is Everton away on the 19th.
The 2 wk international break after that,will give some players a much needed rest.
Matt @89 and G54 @91,
Any Pulis side is difficult to beat but it is a home game where we have generally beaten his teams.
Everton on 19th will be a very tough game as it follows Barca on 16th. Team selection for the Barca game would influence how good we are against Everton. We should play our B team against Barca and concentrate on the league.
A man was killed after arguing with a friend over whether Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo was the best footballer in the world.
Idiots.
It’s Feo Walclot.
Great game, either team could have won, but the season will now be about looking over our shoulders, both Goons and Spurs have a battle on our hands staying in the top 4 who will end up on top St s league not at all sure
Good to see you Idahoe. Hope all is well. 🙂
Send me an email to the address logged in with
Good result or bad??? i would say bad for we could/should have won it. The 2 goals conceded were poor, still cannot believe instead of clearing the ball, we allowed kane to score, albeit a brilliant one. If only Welbeck took the chance Ozil created or if only Ramsey had scored that goal in the end, we may have had a happy ending afterall.
Ramsey but for that wonderful goal still leaves a lot to be desired. He holds on to the ball way too long, is confused on what his role and for all the industry, the end result often leads to frustration. Again it is not about talent at all.
Coquelin should be forgiven for the card but then he was naive and stupid. Does this mean Elneny gets an extended run? Talking of the egyptian, he does look good but then one game is to early to take a call.
Alexis and Ozil are the players who are always judged on the end product. I saw Ozil play well but was that enough is a different question. He always creates chances and if they are taken, he is a winner or else the verdict is divided. Same to alexis, he never shies away and is a fighter but the yardstick continues to be that of him scoring.
Gabriel had an excellent game, Per did have a decent one but for that second goal, he is just too slow and he should not have been playing at this level anymore.
It is leicester’s league to lose. Even if they lose 3, i think they will win the league. I cannot see any team including us winning all their remaining games, which means the foxes are outright favourites to win. If that does happen, it will be terrible for us, a chance which we may not get again in the near future.
I know it’s only the Metro (I know!) but this would be interesting if true. Take the survey.
http://metro.co.uk/2016/03/07/rumour-west-ham-united-ready-to-seal-26m-theo-walcott-transfer-from-arsenal-5738695/?
cheers for your response baff 78 earlier
but my bluurb
was aimed at another line
made by the dennis loving drinker
of whom
i now have the measure
.
and
cheers cynic for da tuuune 85
but
i prefer their later darker berlin period
when it had all turned to shite and snotters ?
ka
BLAAAMMMMMMMMMM
“Red cards” ?
“We don’t need no stinking red cards”
Nice ton cba.
We need more strikers who can create for themselves.
Could Dan join you as that man?
No red card from me.
why fank yu Dr baff ?
Congrats on the ton cba – with our dearth of goals we should be happy however they go in. I suspect Mike Dean will be on your case however, that guy just luvs giving them out 😉
here
have a tune
.
MACHINES WERE MICE
AND
MEN WERE LIONS
ONCE UPON A TIME
BUT
NOW THAT IT’S THE OPPOSITE
IT’S
TWICE UPON A TIME
.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RFJi3l1DPWk
for you too Up
?
sprinkle a bitta that
through the squads earphones
as they sleep
and the lads’d march to victory after victory
yes in fuckin deedy
Good evening cba, always a pleasure 🙂 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>