Gunners Withstand Magpies Mighty Fightback
Mar 21st, 2015 by 'holic
Down the years I’m sure we have all seen games that could be described as the archetypal game of two halves. Somehow though, and maybe just because it is so fresh in the memory, Arsenal’s match at Newcastle is right up there among the most astonishing of them.
Having drawn Newcastle’s sting in the opening minutes the Gunners put a stranglehold on the first-half. With their movement the visitors seemed to be able to get at Newcastle’s makeshift rearguard at will. Alexis and Nacho Monreal were prominent on the flanks and once again Olivier Giroud was involved in so much of what was good about our game.
The surprise was that it took until the mid-point of the half for the opening goal to arrive. Colback’s foul on Giroud gave Santi Cazorla the chance to pick out Danny Welbeck with his free-kick and the England striker’s header was deflected in off the knee of Giroud.
It wasn’t a surprise when, less than four minutes later, Giroud had added an emphatic second with his head from Santi’s corner. In between those two strikes Welbeck volleyed wide after some typically dogged approach play by Alexis. It looked as though the weakened Geordies might be on the receiving end of a hiding, but somehow they made it to half-time just two down.
What followed was a tidal shift in fortunes. Booed off at half-time, the Magpies returned with a much more energetic approach and pressed Arsenal hard from the whistle. Indeed within three minutes of the restart the lead was halved when Pérez and Cabella set up Sissoko to finish with a crisp right footer. Twice in the ensuing minutes Perez was just off target as Arsenal looked, with little success, to regroup.
Newcastle were pinpointing Calum Chambers who is currently not the assured young defender we saw at the start of the season, but in fairness to him it was becoming evident that some of those ahead of him were running low on fuel after the attempt to pull off a remarkable comeback in Monaco on Tuesday. Fortunately Laurent Koscielny and the recalled Gabriel looked assured in the heart of the defence. That was just as well given the rearguard action that was developing.
Ospina denied Sissoko a second, Janmaat just missed the target, and Arsene sent on Mathieu Flamini and Tomas Rosicky for the seemingly tiring Alexis and Cazorla. Francis Coquelin was again a key figure, pinching possession for us on numerous occasions only to see the ball gifted back to the hosts far too cheaply.
In the midst of a steady stream of attacks from the hosts we got a break, but Welbeck was denied at the near post by Krul when perhaps he might have considered cutting the ball back for one of two team mates unmarked in the box. As the minutes ticked by Perez had one more attempt at an equaliser but again Ospina proved his equal.
Hector Bellerin, surprisingly on the bench, came on for Welbeck for the final few minutes and we survived with the three points intact, and at the end of the day that is all that matters for now. Arsene spoke of his fatigued battlers after the match.
“We have played four games in two weeks and three away games at Manchester, in Monaco and here today, and we’ve won all three. The last 40 minutes were difficult because our legs had gone a little bit and Newcastle played very well in the second half.”
Indeed they did, and all credit to them for that. It would be good, but so un-Arsenal like, to see one or two of those who are almost running on empty withdraw injured from the upcoming internationals. So now we have a week and a half worrying about those playing competitively for their national sides, and praying all come back with a clean bill of health.
As I type we are a point behind Manchester City still, and three points closer to Chelsea who will surely get a result in Hull. Or will they? Just how important will that dogged resistance shown by the Gunners today prove to be?
165 Responses to “Gunners Withstand Magpies Mighty Fightback”
Come on Tigers.
I wait to see the match tonight so found your report very interesting and a great evocation of what I gleaned from TV this afternoon and a few blogs since. We keep winning games where we go two up, concede and then hang on. This is the sixth time we have done it this year.
That doesn’t happen by accident. This season we are grittier and tighter, we can thrive on less possession and hold out when under pressure. This time last year we were being taken apart by our rivals.
Very pleased that even though they surely will win at Hull, should Chelsea stutter we would really be on their tails.
Top four? Almost had it!! Big 3 points and an excellent write up ‘holic. manure n liverfools…
Very very Important Win!
😀
Good piece ‘H.
I’m with ttg (again!) I listened to a little of the second-half commentary on 5Live this afternoon (having missed all of the first half) and came away with the distinct impression that I should be very rattled. That’s just one reason why I only listened to a little of the commentary.
Good to hear that Kane had another blinder for the Tinies. There seems to be no way the Neighbours can win on this one – either he hilariously falls victim to second-season syndrome in 2015-16 or he has another good year and gets transferred to a Proper Big Club ™. I wonder how they’ll blow several tens of millions in the 2016 transfer window.
Still, and all, another 3 points to the good guys.
COYG
Good result, funny game.In truth , we looked shagged out after eighty minutes in mid week.
Huge effort had to take it’s toll.
Being paid an astronomical wage does’nt negate finite mental and physical energy..
Not surprised to see us splutter .Newcastle gave it a good go.Tough titty. We won. They never. 3 points.End of.
Quick turnaround H and one that tallies with what I saw. A great effort from the team. I don’t expect much credit from the wider media but I thought many sides would have dropped points in that second half and it was desire and grit that saw us through. And the fact that the players all took responsibility for their positions.
All good signs. I was thrilled with the result earlier and the more I look at it the better it gets. Really proud of the lads and the club today. As Rocky will tell ya- it’s all about getting hit hard and still moving forwards. Today we showed how you deal with a disappointment. Really excellent performance in my eyes. Well done everyone.
A right game of two halves. I’m assuming fatigue played a part after the midweek effort, but even so.
I’ve given up on AW’s team selections. If ever a game screamed out for fresh legs while resting tired ones this was it. But no, out come the same old same old, bar a sick (?) Özil … although I have to say we looked a lot slicker in the first half without Mesut messuting about in the build-ups.
Another awful game from Theo, never looked likely to score and he was definitely to blame for their goal.
Öskar
I’m now sure that AW is giving Theo a clear message. That he is NOT going to be offered £100k a week in the summer, in fact it may well be LESS than £100k. This will mean Theo will likely leave us for somewhere offering MORE than £100k a week. Maybe not too far from us either. And AW will believe the £20m+ he’ll get for him good business while he looks for another Frenchman to replace him for a quarter of that and half the salary.
Very irritated here.
Öskar
I think Theo was great…Gibbs too.
Cheers for the report Holic, nothing much to argue with. A hard-fought win but a very important one. It means neither Totnum nor Soton got any closer despite having easy home games (which, in the case of the Totts, they still required luck and a VERY questionable penalty to win) and of course that we’ll pull away slightly from at least one of Liverpool and ManU tomorrow.
I thought we started rather well and were good value for our lead after 45 minutes but fatigue started creeping in both here and there. We did ride our luck a little, but then again when you have this nice habit of almost always scoring at least twice as we’ve done in the past four months or so (iirc, since ManUre at home we’ve scored less than twice on only two occasions in the league which were away to Soton and Totnum) then that gives you a rather improved chance of winning compared to only scoring once.
I don’t expect Chelsea to drop any points tomorrow, they may have only drawn v Soton at home last Sunday but they played really well in the second half and Hull are a much worse team than Soton. That said, I can’t say it would surprise me that much if they did drop points because they are actually under some significant pressure. Not winning the league would be a failure considering the position they are in.
Anyway, here’s to a poor result for both Liverpool and ManUre tomorrow! Drinks on the bar for everyone.
OKD finds a way to knock Ozil even when he’s not in the stadium….remarkable
Needless to say that OG (motm) had a good game, along with the central defence and Cal, but hard to find much to cheer about the rest. No complaints with the ref either.
There are several I could criticise, but let’s just put Danny’s abysmal goal strikes and Nacho and Coq’s general untidiness down to fatigue and move on.
Next…
Öskar
Do you not agree we were much more fluid in the first half, Tim, until everyone seemingly tired? We could/should have had 3 or 4 by half time.
Öskar
I’m getting thoroughly sick and fucking tired of hearing the name Harry Kane. Even my bloody meter reader was yapping about him yesterday. FFS buy him, Madrid, and let’s get rid of the twat. It’s worse than all the Bale wanking we had the last time the Scummers were a one man team.
Our game? Saw none of it, not that bothered by it, sounds like a routine three points. Next.
We should have put this game to bed before half time, another case of missed chances. Our brave efforts on Tuesday caught up with us in the second half and the boys looked as though they were running through treacle.
All 3 subs should have been used earlier, fresh legs and minds were badly needed as soon as N’Castle scored. Ospina, Kos and Gabriel earned their money withstanding the onslaught of an invigorated home side and a crowd that got right behind their team.
I hardly dare breathed watching my stream, fearing the worse with every Barcodes attack, it was desperate stuff. The 3 points today might turn out to be the most valuable of the season. Luck was on our side today, may it continue for the rest of the season.
Well done Arsenal, COYRs.
Cheers for the review ‘holic.
Wasn’t the prettiest of wins, but after our exertions of the last few weeks it was to be expected that we’d get a dip, but we dug in and took the three points, mission accomplished as far as I can tell.
Oskar, change the record, I beg you, it’s becoming beyond tedious.
We get it, you don’t rate Ozil or Welbeck but you believe the sun shines outta Feo’s bunghole, your perogative, but you’re doing it to death.
You can’t understand why Feo’s not being picked?
Really?
Can’t you understand that maybe the club is getting a bit tired of a player that held them over a barrel in his last contract talks. A player that they have always supported through all his injuries, a player who has missed almost the sum of three entire seasons due to those injuries.
He already has his 100k a week wage, even though he’s worth nothing of the sort, but that’s not enough for him, he and his people want more. Loyalty obviously only a one way street as far as they are concerned.
Don’t get me wrong, I like Theo, he has his skills, don’t think he’s as good as you think he is, but he definetly can bring something to the party. But neither you nor I know what’s going on behind the scenes,
maybe, hypothetically ofcourse, he is not putting in the required effort in training, have you even entertained that notion?
I’m sad to say, that the last few weeks I get the feeling that you would rather see us lose points just so you could feel some personal vindication.
Sorry.
Pangloss and I will work out a rota he can do odd games I will do even. Like peas in a pod us:)
The Theo argument is becoming ultra- tedious but I think he should have started instead of Sanchez today. Perhaps he might have done if Ozil had been fit. Giroud is really contributing a huge amount. Might we speculate what might have happened if he hadn’t broken his leg at Everton.
Poor old Coquelin seemed to have his nose smashed ( again ) by a violent arm. I wonder if an Arsenal player had done that whether we would see retrospective action because of an outcry in the media?
What I’d like to see, H2H, is Theo given one tenth of the opportunities others get regardless they waste them with monotonous regularity. When did Danny last score in the PL ffs? 4 all season and none yet this year.
And only those with bias in both eyes think his running around a lot while making poor decisions in front of goal, or simply giving the ball away, makes him a greater threat than Theo. I simply don’t believe it’s anything to do with form and a lot to do with AW’s ego.
And I’ll shut up when he’s given a fair go.
Öskar
Can’t agree more about Giroud, Ttg, he’s fast becoming a major player in the game and a wonderful buy, in retrospect.
Öskar
Ozil was definitely at fault for Sissoko’s goal, no tracking back, no desire, he made far too many nothing passes, his movement was non existant, it was like we were playing with 11 players and no Ozil.
Blimey, never mind about the players being fatigued after than run, the travelling support are bloody knackered too!
Cheers for the rapid write up ‘holic. Indeed a game of two halves, very relived we could keep hold of it until the final whistle.
Now to try and stay awake for MoTD…
Oskar is entitled to his opinion of course,but its just that.
Personally, I believe Theo is a one trick pony, and the trick itself is not that great.
Theo is a player that divides opinion, and given a choice, I’d ship him out in the summer for somebody with half the ego,and more end product.
I like him, but I’m mildly relieved when he is absent.
Theo has had more chances than most over an extended period of time to prove he is a first team regular. In my opinion he has failed to take that opportunity and is more of a “luxury” player than Ozil will ever be.
Can anyone really see Chelsea or Man City buying him?
Is he likely to have more success at Liverpool,or less?
Most people (though not Oskar) can see AW’s stance on this, and unless TW becomes the player he once threatend to become he will remain in the file marked “Enigma”.
Oskar.
I agree with H2H- in everything he says @17. Your arguments about Theo are well known. They do not become stronger by constant (boring, predictable, frustrating) repetition.
We are not all going to suddenly agree with you. Anyone who does has said as much. If the rest of us did agree we would have said so months ago. If we were going to pretend to agree just for a moment’s peace we would have done so already.
All this rubbish about two-goal swings if Theo does or does not play- it does not work like that. By the time you factor in Gibbs vs Monreal or Santi vs Ozil you have us losing 3-0 or winning 3-0 based on a couple of changes.
Why can’t we just disagree? Do you have to be right about this, prove it empirically and screw the rest of us? It is dull. I am bored. If you have any new points then fire away. But if you want to make the same point ad infinitum then personally I wish you wouldn’t. Line in the sand. Enough. The guy has not played and it’s all you can go on about. Just leave it alone. For the collective sanity of the bar.
For what it is worth I see many elements of Ozil’s game that I like/dislike or think merit attention that I never consider raising in the bar because of the danger and dullness of Mesut-blog. ‘Fair game’ has been pretty much ruined.
Surely you can see what reactions your dogma has caused?
This is The Goonerholic bar. Is it worth it?
Sorry boss. I do not mean to take the name in vain- You know how much I like getting into it with Oskar and I don’t want to tread on toes. But I have ignored this stuff from all angles for ages and apparently that has not been enough to see it die a dignified death. So can we all (whatever side of the debate we originally supported) just pile in and strangle the last life from its limp and useless body?
At the moment the whole sorry saga is enough to drive a man to drink…
They are on the bar for them that wants them.
Cynic @15. Don’t add to the problem then. A paragraph on some tosser and a sentence or so on Arsenal? Eggs is eggs. And Spuds is spuds. Not worth the time of day. Whichever of the cock-embellished lily-whites may or may not be flavour of the month.
Oskar The Dog if you cant watch the games properly you have no right to critise the team ” another awful game from theo ” theo didnt even play today for your sake i hope its a typo error , i bet your part of the wenger out brigade when you get your coaching badges or better still start watching the games properly then feel free to comment but get your facts right first your irritaed bout what im irritated about the fact that you speak about arsenal like you know when you clearly dont in the end of the day mate get behind the team complain at the end of the season if you must and ps arsenal have won every game where mesut ozil has assited in this season , since 2013-2014 ozil is second on assist list only to fabs in the premier league no coincidence since hes come to club hes already won a trophy not to bad for a shabby player hey ya gunners ya aha coyg!
And to rich how can ozil be at fault for newcastles goal when he didnt play today its great hes still getting stick when hes off sick lol are you sure your arsenal fans or are you and oskar the dog tottenham in disguise lol coyg !
jordan.
Oskar is well aware Theo did not play. An attempt at humour designed to further an agenda even though it had no impact on a single time the football was kicked today. He is a bright man. Which Is one of the reasons I, personally, find this stuff so mind-numbing.
A fair go Oskar? Are you on a serious wind-up? If you are satirising all of us then then you sure are a deep-cover agent. A fair go? Nah mate, must be a wind-up… Surely.
Aha when ment yous it was aimed at otd and rich and yh i hope it was just hummor lol
jordan.
Rich also on a wind-up, my friend. Sarcasm and irony are well-used tools in most Brits’ ‘sense of humour’ box.
I do not know if English is your first language (you write it so well it is hard to know) but in terms of meaning they are being classic Brits- they do not mean at all the literal words they write… They are not serious! *McEnroe voices all round*
aha why would you question that anyway cause i speak english well lol joker i think if your born over here it would be a bit embarrising if i didnt aha and even if they pair of wind up merchants prepare for someone to comment back and think wtf are you on about lool is that not fair thing to expect regardless of how its ment ?
But then again i see so much arsenal fans gas about the team sometimes telling if a comment is sarcastic or not is easier said the done
Having read the previous posts in the bar and of the commentators involved (especially Oskar with regard to Theo) I thought it was so obviously a joke I wondered why you responded to it seriously. That is all…
If you want to respond to all jokes as though they are serious comments I imagine this is as hard to maintain in real life as it is in virtual bar…
@31 we can certainly agree on virtual gas written about Arsenal. Low levels in this bar, thank (insert appropriate figure of thanks) but a gradual build-up can still be a killer…
jordan @26. I am sure Oskar will reply to you in his own time if he deems fit.
But having re-read that post again I think you should leave off denigrating gooners like Oskar, who have put in the time and passion, as Spuds fans. And, no, LOL meant screw all in that context.
I disagree with him sometimes. But he says what he thinks. And there is a line. A bloody important line.
Yh i looked at the comment and responded like you said there wind up merchants so if thats the case someones might read and get wound up and comment regardless lool and i guess so to
There is a difference between trolling and joking. Those comments were meant lightly, not seriously. Jokes are fine and we all make them. Sometimes they are more clear than other times due to the nature of black and white. Subtleties are easily missed. Which is why I, myself, would leave the ‘are you a Spurs fan?’ jokes out. Nothing funny about being a spud.
ok fair enough leave it at that then
Lol why would i be a spurs fan now if you have to right to comment then ither people will comment against whats your relation to him aha
Isnt that what your doing against me the same as i have commented against him lool
I do not know. Why would you be a Spurs fan? I never suggested you were.
And i never made an argument to say you should not disagree with Oskar, me, or anyone else. You are entitled to your opinions and the bar is richer for them.
My relationship with Oskar is one of two posters in this bar. We make points. We try to do so clearly. Sometimes we agree. Sometimes not.
We never accuse each other of supporting the enemy.
@40.
What?
I really do not understand where you are going with any of this.
And you seem to have undermined your own @37 somewhat…
Oskar –
No, I didn’t think were especially more fluid than in recent months during the first half without Ozil – add to that we scored from two set pieces you could argue that our approach play was less cutting than normal. If we suggest Welbeck started in Ozil’s place I can’t say this his inclusion made us more cohesive as while he found himself in some great positions his control and distribution (in both halves) wasn’t terribly good.
I can’t imagine us sitting in third this season without the contributions of Ozil and especially Coquelin over the last dozen or so matches.
There are imbeciles and there are Imbeciles.
And although it is my issue, not a fair standard for me to apply across the bar- LOL can do one. And anyone writing that phrase can do one too. Sad state of affairs when people stop ‘laughing out loud’ but have an appropriate mnemonic to express their sentiment.
Fair enough il leave it at that im not a spurs fan and we all support arsenal atleast were on the same page there up the gunners ever one
And Invincebiciles!
@46.
Agreed.
UTA!
…and then Steve Bruce pops oop.
Everyone wants to be winners. Good thing all 91 teams in the football league that are not winners do not throw their toys out the pram as suggested.
Bloody good thing they do not have Arsene too or we would be screwed.
Have a dig at anyone who thinks Arsene is okay as manager because of their personal lack of ambition. Assume we have a God-given right to challenge clubs who (for reasons that do not need re-stating) have created an artificial arena.
What do you desire Tommy? What would make your life better? Would Arsene being sacked give you a lift? Would it make you happy?
Or do you just like having a few drinks and a moan in the small hours on a Saturday night?
Tell me why again. Oh pretty please, Oh tell me why?
My apologies tommy.
I did not mean to capitalise your moniker. Lower case all the way.
That’s 17 goals in 26 games from Giroud. Wouldn’t it be a hoot to see him and Santi in PL team of the season (given how they never get the proper credit for their overall excellence and significant adjustment to their games)? Hopefully both can continue their form, ably supported by Coqelin’s disciplined aggression and Ozil’s sparkle, and at least some resurgence from Alexis. The hullabaloo of a cup semi or final are the perfect games for a fresh Alexis who can produce enough decisive moments of quality through his directness and rediscovered finishing, especially cutting in from the left. And hopefully unlike the last few times the Welsh set-up wouldn’t cause damage to Rambo’s fitness.
We have no more mid-week games before the Sunderland home at the last week. So assuming who are fit now remain fit and available, we can play more or less the same starting eleven consistently, as that is when Wenger’s teams become irresistible. Hopefully Ox would be fit when we resume against Pool and he can provide some more directness against quality defenses.
Arlene would never do this, but I wish he would pull off a Sluralex stance and declare a few of his key players — at least a couple from Giroud, Kos, Ozil, Rambo, Santi — unfit for the internationals.
Arlene?
I don’t remember knowing any Arlene.
Arsene, of course …
Dogma, GSD? What else would you expect from a dog? Although I’m actually more iconoclastic by nature, with a hint of Advocatus Diaboli. Sorry you got dragged into jordan’s confusions, but you offered an excellent defence! Thank you for that.
jordan … My apologies for the attempted humour and any offence you took from it personally. However, I believe I am the longest serving gooner in this forum, and can assure you that I have never at any time supported any other team in the 67 years since adopting Arsenal as ‘my team’. I say adopting because I was living nowhere near any major football team as a kid, and only picked Arsenal because they had just won the FA Cup (it was 1950). Curiously, while researching my ancestry quite recently, I found all my grandparents lived most of their lives in Holloway and Finsbury Park. Indeed both families had shops in the area. So I reckon I have a perfect right to criticise my team any way I choose. For the record I am also one of AW’s most fervent supporters, as a lengthy review of my opinions here would surely confirm. I just don’t believe he is infallible.
But it’s always good to meet new members here. Just please don’t go jumping to conclusions quite so readily. And there’s a drink on the bar for you, as a peace offering.
Öskar
Dr F, in case you missed them in the previous round, your Sartre and Althusser verses as requested… http://goonerholic.com/2015/03/if-only-this-game-were-being-played-on-paper/#comment-556543
Öskar
Oskar @ 57: Thanks. 🙂
Ooops, that should have been great grandparents (in #56). 😉
Öskar
Blimey – the back and forth in the bar tonight after three points suggests it could be a v e r y l o n g interlull coming up.
Anyway, happy to get the win although the second half, as noted, was horrible to watch as we ran out of legs. We managed to make a team of cobbled together plonkers look quite good against us.
Chambers and Monreal were both poor, Kos missed a number of tackles that he would normally eat, Rambo was mostly playing in a different game all of his own, Alexis and Santi looked rooted from the beginning and Danny was simply wasteful. Ospina, Gabriel and Giroud earned their wage today.
The upcoming break, for once, may help us recharge for the run-in. I’m hoping for a draw between Pool & Mancs with at least six red cards. Atkinson is the referee so anything could happen!
UTA.
Do I espy the overnight return of MNB above? Be nice, go away again, please.
I’m with Dr F. Arlene out!
COYG
For something completely different, I watched some of the City game and the latest refereeing debacle. That red card will be the latest this season to be rescinded.
As a matter of interest, does anybody know how many have indeed been rescinded this season and how that compares to previous years?
The Premier League seem reluctant to admit that refereeing standards are getting worse but surely the statistics would blow that apart?
UTA.
Fine report Guvna. We were well worth our two goal lead at HT but the legs started to wobble after their early goal back (Alexis and Santi, unsurprisingly being the earliest to show) and more and more were running through treacle while the half progressed.
However a gritty performance from Coq (God, that lad bleeds for the cause), Kos, Gabriel and Ospina and the fresh legs of TR7 and Hector delivered the points.
A very important win.
Onwards.
P.S. A fascinating piece of family history Oskar. You must have been delighted with the discovery. Orite?
Aha at oskar the dog yh fair play i hear that i did judge hastily cause i read a lot of blogs where arsenal fans that been whatching us since like 2006 or 2007 or 2008 ect and havent got clue lol i take heart that youve been watching us from time true gooner then no matter where your fom and its always peace between us gooners oskar even if we dont see eye to eye all the time aha i think one of the problems we have are majority of people who go watch us now at the emirates are from barnet cophill hamstead and other richer areas of london since our move to emirates (as there the most people who can afford our season tickets ) and there the ones who hurt our crowd dont get behind our team negate that intimidating atmosphere helping other teams come and be heard at our stadium cause they want to be nicely seated and dont want to make noise or people to stand up and shout like at highbury i was at the middlesbrough game where we equalised the record 42 unbeaten we was 3-1 down at one point and we was still making noise and we come back 5-3 i think the fans have our part to play aswell and i dont think whe are being the best fans we can be when going to the home games not everyone like that our away fans are great and excluding the away fans who also go to the home games there a small section that are willing to but 60,000 people and with most times theres 52-57 thousound arsenal fans there oposition fans should not be heard (excluding if they score a goal even then we should cut there celebrations short by getting behind the team and drowning them out ) wining the big games is one thing but showing that courage and fight sometimes the team may struggle if the fans are giving 100% in big games small games drowning out the opositions fans making it an intimidating place to come phycologicly will have a big effect on how our team plays and how teams play against us at home where on a good run atm lets hope if liverpool and man u draw than where the first team to beat liverpool in 2015 in the league and end there away clean sheet record coyg !
Yes, fine report, Holic.
Any victory, especially away from home after a Champions League fixture, is a very good victory. Even more so after an away Champions League victory.
You may have noticed the word ‘victory’ cropping up rather a lot in those two sentences. That’s because we’ve had rather a lot of victories lately. We’ve had rather a lot of games lately, in fact, four in the last twelve days.
The players were clearly struggling in the second half yesterday but held on for an extremely important win.
So I won’t be joining the moans about Wenger’s team selection and his use of substitutes. I am as tired of them as the players looked at the end.
I’m going to enjoy the win and assume everyone – manager, players and travelling fans were all doing their best which, thank whoever you pray to, turned out to be just enough.
Well played, snowy.
Arlene is a great big girl. But she shouldn’t have been sacked from Strictly. Didn’t know she’d pitched up at the Arsenal though.
To be clear, there are many “proper” gooners who started supporting the team in 2006…
Good win. Here’s hoping yanited spank ‘pool. I’m more concerned about the scousers.
BMBD
World class by Gerrard. On at half time, sent off in about a 30 seconds.
Very anticlimatic farewell for gerrard against ManU…lol!
Looks like ManU are going to win this with the man advantage..
Not bad though. Clumps Mata and stamps on Herrera within 40 seconds of coming on as a sub. Cheerio Stevie Me!
No live games for me this weekend. I’m in San Diego for work so am getting the West Coast experience. Up at 5 of course as times zones mess up my head. Watching the NBC coverage of Liverpool vs Man Utd. I have to say it’s pretty good! Rebecca Lowe a good host, Gary Linekar and Lee Dixon in the studio topping up their BBC salaries, someone and Graeme Le Saux on commentary.
Ha! just as I type this Gerrard sent off!
Still want Liverpool to get an equaliser so both drop points, but United looking very good.
Still got to play both these teams – whole season could be on those two games. I was on a plane for our game yesterday – quite pleased I didn’t have to watch as we clung on for three points. Still – this time of the year only the results count.
Gerrard was sent off not for his usual slightly mistimed tackle but for a piece of sheer nastiness. Goodness knows a player of his experience should have more self- control.
Welcome to the Hahafornia experience, countryman. That is a good group; until this year we had Stewart “I hate arsenal” Robson on color every week. Nice how Guinness tastes as good in the morning, eh? It’s what’s for breakfast!
What channel is the classico on scruzgooner?
United deserved their victory it is the best I have seen them play since LVG went there. If we beat Liverpool in our next game I think they are out of contention especially with a markedly inferior goal difference. A nasty piece of malicious intent by Skrtl at the end . It was the same offence as Gerrard effectively
Not sure, I am still in bed. I will see if it is on. Half a minute.
Scruz – are you drinking Guinness in bed? That’s decadent
van Gaal seeming to be winning by luck rather then design. No red card for di Maria and Mata probably wouldn’t have started either of their last two games.
Gerrards red was well deserved, filthy action. Skrtel will be lucky to escape sanction. Balotelli is a full blown nutter, still can’t believe how many of our fans wanted him at our club.
Good result for Manure, bad for Lpoo. I think if we can beat them over a fortnight then that will pretty much finish their top 4 challenge.
Wouldn’t that be nice. 😉
Martin Atkinson quote after sending off Steven Gerrard:
“No, it was not a case of mistaken identity. I hate that motherf*ucker.”
Well, maybe he didn’t say exactly that but who knows whether it was running through his mind. 😉
Countryman, 1-3 pdt on Comcast channel 651 (en vivo, en Español) if you have that. Not on any of the majors.
Lol, TTG, only on days when I watch Arsenal on the iPad. But guinnii on the couch, me wearing furry slippers and under a blanket is still a pretty decadent way to watch our beloved club, notwithstanding le Coq isn’t as big on my screen as on oskar’s… 🙂
Oh, and that is the Bein network, if you have dish, directv, or a different cable supplier, cman.
Cheers Scruz. Not on my hotel’s package. Have to pick up a stream.
scruz — Stewart Robson was never in the PL coverage team for NBC Sports and we had them since last season. Or was he and I just wiped out the memory? 🙂
BeIN also has the English coverage — they are actually pretty good at covering Championship as well as La Liga, Serie A and some Ligue 1 — in Comcast channel 192 at least here in Boston.
TTG @ 72 — Shouldn’t the post-match review panel give Skrtel a 3-match suspension because the referee of course missed the incident? That was a blatant red card for dangerous play.
Steve G is out against us as well as their trip away to Blackburn for the Cup QF replay. If we beat them their QF replay would get interesting.
This pool team is a pure confidence team with the midfield comprised of talented young players who can easily fall into a collective bad spell under psychological pressure (I vaguely recall we used to have teams like that a few years back) and they will start against us with a very rapid tempo and trying to establish the control early. If we pay to our newfound cool composed ways we will have more than enough for them.
If you’re trying to establish your credentials as the real ttg @63, you’re way off beam. Of course Arlene was rightly sacked from Strictly. By the time the Board lost patience, she’d been there for five years without a trophy.
Arlene out!
Faustus, you are right, Fox had the concession until two seasons ago, and it was over full of Robsons. I was so traumatized it took me a year to get over it and so forgot NBC has had it now for two seasons, not just this one.
And while Bein does have English language, they are not showing the Classico on that channel here…
good luck with a stream, cman.
lol, Pangloss 😀
scruz. The Bein network. Is that one stage more advanced than the Lovein network?
Chavs 2 nil up.
Hold on……
It’s 2-2. 😆
8 ball @ 86: Bein … next comes nothinness …
H2H @ 87: What is happening to the famed ‘tactics’ of Moaninho … goals conceded at home, goals conceded away. At this rate he may actually lose a game, which he never does. 🙂
Dr. F. Nothingness is a concept mastered by the brain of Stewart Robson, I believe. 🙂
What the…. is happening with the chelski game?
COME ON HULLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!
😀
scruz @ 84: Forget Fox, the mofo used to be hired by Arsenal to perform post-match analysis for Arsenal player! And he started getting progressively worse where he could barely conceal his distaste for not being able to really rip at Arsene and the team.
The new bloke, perennially cheerful and all, is such an improvement.
8 ball @ 90: Stewart Robson. Brain. Master. Concept.
You are giving certain things that don’t exist too much credit. 🙂
You lot are a riot. Really great human beins, too 🙂
I remember robson on Arse player, hated listening to that, too. He certainly is a mix of the scarecrow and the tin man, with a voice lick lemonjuice-coated broken glass on the seat in which you’re forced to watch the game. Thank god for the mute button.
NBC’s announcers are so much better it’s not funny.
Like, not lick. Ouch.
Bb, you meant “what the Hull”, of course 🙂
H2H: van Gaal seeming to be winning by luck rather then design. No red card for di Maria and Mata probably wouldn’t have started either of their last two games.
Was thinking the same. Add to that the van Persie injury which forced him to finally play Rooney in attack rather than as some sort of defensive midfield player.
The non-red for Phil Jones was also important today. Very very lucky not to get sent off there. And speaking of red cards not given, will be very interesting to see if Skrtel gets a ban for his stamp on De Gea in stoppage time.
too bad for hull, thought they’d see it out.
That’s why Chelsea will be champions. They may be a bunch of chav cunts but our boys could learn a thing or two from them.
Bang
Laffin at Bt8B’s 76.
What, uncle Charlie, how to nearly draw games then win? I think we could teach them a thing or two…
Maybe Uncle Charlie.
But keeping a person of colour off a metro is not a skill set we require.
So, assuming they win their game in hand, that puts Chelsea 9, 10 and 11 points ahead of City, us and ManUre respectively. It will take a massive fuckup on their part to drop this.
Scruz – if we let a two goal lead slip I couldn’t see us bouncing back to win the match. Letting a two goal lead slip in the first instance is a different matter of course, but I’m sure you catch my drift.
H2H – their team is far better than their supporters deserve.
No Pangloss Arlene was always in the top 4 on the panel of judges and qualified for Europe every season. But they wanted Arlene out and Darcey in just because she’s beautiful, elegant, sexy and knows a lot about dancing. …thinking about that it sounds like an excellent decision! But she did create Hot Gossip and they were beautiful and sexy too.
Oh dear, I’m getting unnecessarily excited now and my nurse will be in soon to give me a bed bath to cool me down….. oo-er.
To our American friends who may not remember Stewart Robson as a player he was the next big thing in the early 80s , versatile and mobile. He would have fitted perfectly into the current squad….he was perennially injured. There is bad blood between him and George Graham who let him go to West Ham who he hardly ever played for because he was injured before he went to Coventry I think who he hardly ever played for because he was injured. He has been injured as a commentator since he began
Chemical castration is far better then their supporters deserve.
Absolutely right Uncle Charlie. Why, I don’t think our lot are good enough to get two goals against Hull City in the first place – they’d probably go two down in the first few minutes, and they’d never have the bottle to come back after that. Oh no, not Arsenal.
Ttg chooses to forget about Alesha Dixon[1]. He’ll be saying that Arsène followed directly after George Graham, next. The nurse and bed bath can’t come soon enough.
Arlene out!
COYG.
[1] Probably also a good decision, on second thoughts.
Pangloss
I had forgotten Aleisha . As you can probably tell Darcey has captured my heart. She was the Bruce Rioch of Strictly judges.
And a great point about Hull. We would have gone to Hull today gone two up and then given them a consolation hill. We do it every week
Arlene and Wenger aht
🙂
Is this wit I see returning to the bar.
Not strictly speaking, but it’s getting there! 😉
Harsh, but fair, Trev.
Turned on Sky for the build up to El Clasico and find myself confronted by two turncoats and Gwillum.
Great.
I see my reluctance to post reams of bullshit about something I hadn’t even seen drew comment in an earlier drink. Well having seen the highlights at long last, I could only repeat the sentence as originally typed. Nothing else to add.
Had great fun this afternoon watching disabled football. Stepping away from the Premier League circus is like a breath of fresh air.
To all those grown ass wise men above who are fond of dance competition drama, El Dramatico is on in 15 odd minutes …
The greatest exhibition of great footballer acting like starving prisoners on uppers …
TTG @ 106: Believe me Mr. Robson spared us listeners no chance of reminding that he was actually an Arsenal player once upon a time and under that precise circumstance he would have chosen a better option than the *current* Arsenal player whom he would be randomly criticizing at any point.
Trev
To be fair it’s the ramblings of a doddery old fart that seem from rereading to be worryingly obsessed with nubile young women. Pangloss is slightly more au fait with the actual detail. And character assassination of the turd Robson.
It makes a pleasant change from the debate on Theo.
By the way that’s not Richard iii in that coffin. It’s a Carpark attendant with a dodgy back.
Wikipedia is my friend, TTG.
Dr F – Any time you fancy an argument about something random, and totally unconnected with the Arsenal, feel free to contact me.
I imagine TTG would also be pleased to accommodate you, but you strike me as a man who would appreciate the enhanced quality you get from this doddery old fart. At least I am able to conceal my worrying interest in nubile young women.
COYG
Going on two weeks now I’ve stopped reading drinks when they contain the word “Theo” because the debate has lost meaning for me. My attitude for the moment is Que será será. Sorry to have missed any interesting comments on the Theo situation but the entrenched positions were not leading to my further enlightenment. 🙂
@119
Who’s this “Theo” geezer you’re on about?
Gerrard’s heat map : http://imgur.com/gallery/X6yMXVZ
😀
Wit returning to the bar, Trev? Methinks it’s been half present for some time…
jordan … quite right, there’s nothing like drowning out the visitors’ supporters to remind them where they are. But I draw the line at booing anyone, unless they really do something out of order. And I have to admit I’ve even been guilty of polite applause for particularly good play by opponents. That’s because I love football and not totally blind to anything non-Gunner.
And enough with the big screen, scruz! I only mentioned it in the first place after reading others here complaining of poor quality feeds. I wanted it clear I was watching full HD so quite sure of whatever point I was making at the time.
Öskar
Robson turns up on ESPN FC from time to time. Usually when we’ve had a poor result so he can prove what a pundit he is. He makes Burley, Hislop and Nicol look like the Three Wise Men. But not Dan Thomas of course.
Öskar
Hot Gossip were sexy indeed THEN, Ttg, but very embarrassing watching them in vids now! At least I didn’t marry one of them like Lord Webber (when he was plain Andrew) although I probably would have, given the chance… 😉
It’s really odd how the age of birds you fancy climbs year by year into middle age, and then reduces year by year thereafter. This could get very worrying if I survive more than another decade! Which I am planning to do, btw. I have no intention of leaving until Arsenal have won the CL.
Öskar
Premier league table on December 22, three months ago today.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2307895-premier-league-table-latest-2014-epl-standings-and-predictions-for-matchday-18
It has been a good three months, with 33 points gained in 13 matches compared to 27 points gained from the season’s first 17 matches. Onwards and upwards. 🙂
We are quietly doing the job.
Hopefully the press will focus on chelski, pool, city, manU and spuds (and who will buy Kane next season..!)
Up The Arse!
😀
Lord Webber (when he was plain Andrew)
Plain? He’s got a face like a chicken’s arsehole. With piles.
/*bitchy*
I’m already bored with the Interlull.
Let’s buy the K.A.N.E. (or a straight swap for theo) next season…just to stick it to the scum.
BMBD
Pangloss @ 118:
As that “judge-penitent” Jean-Baptiste Clamence shares: “I was wrong, after all, to tell you that the essential was to avoid judgement. The essential is being able to permit oneself everything, even if, from time to time, one has to profess vociferously one’s own infamy.”
8 ball: that was also when Liverpool started their run of form, and for all the talk of what a run it’s been it hasn’t actually given them that much in terms of the league table. Look at this:
Pos Team GD Pts
2 Manc 22 39
3 ManU 22 32
4 WHUFC 10 31
5 Soton 15 29
6 AFC 9 27
7 Totts -1 27
10 LFC -3 22
Compare that to where we are right now:
Pos Team GD Pts
2 ManC 34 61
3 AFC 27 60
4 ManU 25 59
5 LFC 22 54
6 Soton 21 53
7 Totts 5 53
So for all their huffing and puffing, Liverpool are only four points closer to fourth than they were at the time. We have actually pulled away from them by one point, though they have had a few GD boosting big wins. Don’t get me wrong, they’ve been in very good form but it hasn’t yielded that much (yes, they are five positions better off but top four is all that matters to them) because we have actually been on an even better one and ManUre have been on a decent one despite all their struggles. ManUre have been lucky in many games but even three lucky points are of course still three points.
Looking at Totnum, it is nice to see that despite our miserable performance in the NLD a couple of weeks ago, we have still pulled away from them by seven points and ten goals. We are effectively eight points ahead of them as things stand, which is always nice.
Also: at that point, ManCity were level on points with Chelsea but are now nine behind if Chelsea win their game in hand at home to Leicester, so they have lost nine points on Chelsea and 11 on us which is an absolutely horrible run for a team of their stature.
Right, back to work…
OK, so the “pre” tag obviously doesn’t work in the bar 🙂
Not to many mentions about Kos and specially Gabriel in the house. Well i thought they deserved a special mention considering how well those 2 kept Newcastle at bay specially the second half.
Chambers still under scrutiny and i wonder if he is going to be our backup CB in the upcoming seasons than RB or is it a classic case of him being played too much.
United winning yday underlines how good a player Mata always has been and how i truly believe he should have been our player but for his agent and money.
Chelsea will win the title, its guaranteed. Question is where will we finish? 2nd will be the best, 5th will be the worst. It just may boil down to those 3 games, pool in a fortnight, chelsea home and then that away game to OT. I sincerely hope its the best case scenario that unfolds for us end of the season.
Giroud take a bow, you have been magnificent.
Chambers feels, and has felt from day one to me, like an expensive mistake. Obviously Bellerin has come along and done fantastically well, but after signing Debuchy and with Jenkinson in the squad, a £19m right back felt like folly.
Still does. Rather have Jenkinson back personally and wouldn’t have got shot of him in the first place.
Lars – Try
Dr F – Your comment is noted. Not necessarily understood, but certainly noted.
COYG
Pangloss, blockquote doesn’t preserve whitespace which is what I was after.
Morning Lars,
The mysteries of what code works on WordPress and what doesn’t is far too confusing for this addled old brain. 😉
I’m amazed at how a club’s supporters can be so divided on their opinions of a young, fast, right sided midfielder/forward with a place in the England squad and decent if unremarkable stats in the goals and assists column.
Some think he’s the second coming and some think he’s basically a bit pants but the heat of the argument is scorching.
Yes, with nothing better to do I’ve just been reading a blog of the Pool v Mancs game and the polarity of views on a certain Mr Raheem Sterling bears an eerie similarity to Th … oh no, what have I done?
Aaaargh.
UTA.
Hmmm. What pays better, sitting in a chair and spouting off your random opinions as a TV pundit, or going through the abuse, loneliness and thanklessness of being a top-flight referee?
http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/32015645
I guess Shearer hasn’t figured it out yet.
Or maybe Shearer has figured it out but I doubt any of the financially secure “greats of the game” will want to come back as referees. It could be a pretty good idea for players whose playing careers never go higher than the lower leagues, but the referees’ salaries have to be decent even if they never advance as high as the Premier League. It’s an under appreciated profession, a bit like teachers. Both professions could use a significant salary boost to attract better quality.
Full credit to Giroud. We must learn to show him the respect he deserves. Well done to the boys. Let’s keep pushing those ahead of us till the very end of the season. Bring on Liverpool…
Holic, I googled to see what tags WordPress sites allow in user comments but apparently the info I found was not correct 🙂
So Mesut Ozil missed our game on Saturday because he was ill, but somehow made a miraculous recovery and turned up in a German nightclub on Saturday night.
@142
Schnapps and relaxation in the bosom of your family can be therapeutic for many conditions.
Ask Dr Feelgood. 😀
So Skrtel to be charged as well… Pool must be bringing their kids to face us…
😀
BB. Do their kids stamp as hard?
otd@122, just playing 🙂 i never really care *how* big anyone’s screen is 😀
heh, bath @142.
interlull. sigh.
You’re forgiven scruz.
Gotta love the Gerrard jokes doing the rounds after his on-off game. My fav is David Schneider’s “In his spare time, Steven Gerrard enjoys walking into revolving doors and back out again”.
And I loved BB’s heat map in #122!
Öskar
Cynic
Two points- firstly don’t believe everything or in fact anything the Daily Mail prints. Ozil almost certainly had clearance from Wenger.
I liked the piece on Friday the day of the eclipse when I was warned ‘ Don’t look at the Sun. Even though only 10% of it may be visible it can be harmful. That goes for the The Express and Mail too.
As for Chambers I don’t see him either as a potential first choice full back or centre half but feel he may make a good holding midfielder. I’m not going to castigate Wenger for spending money ( most of which he could recover) from bringing quality utility options into the squad. We used to have Stepanovs , Luzhny and Cygan as back- up. I think the rise of Bellerin has surprised Wenger. The issue with Chambers is lack of pace. His final ball is excellent.
Cambers is only 20, Ttg, that’s way too young to be sure how he’ll develop. He’s big, he’s strong and he’s determined and I see him more likely a CD than DMF, when he’s fully matured. I’m sure he was bought as CD cover originally, with the LB option a step up from Jenks as cover for Debuchy. I think the jury is still out on that one too. And you’re dead right about the Bellerin surprise for AW which has made that practically redundant.
He was overplayed early on, but we won’t really know how good he can be for another year – 18 months, imo.
I like the lad and can see him as a club captain in 5 years perhaps.
Öskar
I didn’t read it on the Daily Heil or Express sites. Nobody reads the Express do they? It’s like The Daily Sport with freak weather and miracle cures instead of the tits.
Is the interdull over yet?
Sadly no it isn’t, ecg.
So we get media fever trying to whip up a storm over Mesut Ozil’s decision to go out for a medicinal schnapps while he’s ‘on the sick’.
Frankly, WGAF?
What do we expect? Of course Ozil drinks like a fish(god)…
Shock! Horror! McNulty predicts Arsenal to finish 2nd.
In his article Champions League: How race for top four will unfold… possibly on the BBC web site, Phil McNulty attempts to predict the results of all the remaining games involving the Chavs, Manchester Oilers, us, Manchester Rowdies, Liverpoo and the Tinies. Curiously he doesn’t have his usual swipe at Wenger, nor does he mention why he isn’t doing so.
The results all looked credible.
COYG
Phil McNulty is to predictions what Phil McNulty is to writing.
Best ignored.
H2H knows. 🙂
McNumpty. Probably trying to jinx us. 🙁
Trying to predict every result in the remaining eight games for all teams involved is rather daft if you ask me. Just keep focusing on one game at a time.
So Mesut Oh-‘e’s-ill goes out for a night with some German friends, in Germany, before joining up with the German squad also, interestingly enough, in Germany.
Arsene Wenger, in light of his illness, had reportedly given him permission to travel to, er, Germany.
Somewhere here there’s a really fascinating, incriminating story. If only I could ……..
You’d think it was an Interlull ………
Brilliant analysis of LJW in an Arseblog Extra:
http://arseblog.com/2015/03/wilshful-thinking/#
*sheds a small tear into a glass of Landlord*
It seems Özil puts club before country. Night club that is, we come third.
Öskar
Daily Express much?
Thanks for the deletions, ‘holic, I meant to suggest that but didn’t want it to sound like teaching egg-sucking. 😉
Öskar
It’s interlull, so a history piece… >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
I believe in mysef, I BELIEVE IN THEO