Supersub Giroud Sinks Woeful Mackems
Oct 29th, 2016 by 'holic
The three fitness tests didn’t go as I had foreseen in the preview and so we took to the pitch at the Stadium of light with Kieran Gibbs and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in for Nacho Monreal and Theo Walcott. Mohamed Elneny again accompanied Francis Coquelin in front of the back four. The depth of the squad is already being tested, but it was good to see Aaron Ramsey among the substitutes.
The opening seconds tested the nerves as Alex Iwobi limped out of one challenge and Alexis was left holding his elbow after blocking an attempted clearance by Pickford with his arm. Both recovered quickly and we had the first chance when Pickford scrambled a header from the Ox out for a corner.
Petr Cech was tested for the first time in the seventh minute but he gathered a Jones cross nonchalantly. At the other end a sublime pass from Alexis afforded a shooting opportunity to Mesut Ozil but Pickford was equal to it. Coquelin was next to test the Mackems defence, but Kone prevented him from getting a shot away.
We took the lead in the nineteenth minute when Hector Bellerin and Oxlade-Chamberlain opened up Sunderland’s left flank and from the latter’s cross Alexis planted a firm header into the net. The substitutes took to the touchline for an early warm up leading the magnificent travelling support to roar their tributes to Olivier Giroud and Aaron Ramsey.
Sunderland 0-1 Arsenal
Defoe eased a tap-in over the line but he was one of two Sunderland attackers clearly offside. It was a temporary reprieve for the Sunderland defence. After an exchange of passes with Gibbs, Alex Iwobi drove a curling effort narrowly over the crossbar.
Pienaar got away with a challenge on Alexis the like of which earned Granit Xhaka a red card and a three match suspension. Referee Atkinson not the only one baffled by the apparent change in interpretation of the rules this season? At least the clueless fool got out a yellow card when Khazri hauled Ozil over moments later. Alexis blazed the free-kick over the target.
Ndong’s challenge from behind on Coquelin brought the hosts a second booking in as many minutes. Arsenal’s dominance deserved a second goal but Oxlade-Chamberlain fired an effort straight at Pickford. Then Bellerin teed up Ozil but his lob didn’t clear the onrushing Pickford. Sunderland skipper O’Shea departed the contest with a hamstring strain shortly afterwards.
Pienaar was finally carded for a lunge at Coquelin who thankfully returned after treatment. As the half drew to a close Ozil chipped a cross just too far ahead of Alexis, and Iwobi curled another shot over the crossbar. To be only one goal ahead when so comfortably in control was a frustration for the visitors, as was the fact that Sunderland still had eleven players on the pitch.
The second-half started in similar fashion to the first. Djilobodji went through the back of Alexis and was the recipient of Sunderland’s fourth yellow card. Coquelin, encouraged to go forward by Sunderland’s utter lack of ambition, hammered a volley high, wide, and not so handsome.
Ozil put Oxlade-Chamberlain clean through as the hour approached but the England international pulled his effort wide of the far post. That one goal margin remained a nagging worry. He did exactly the same a couple of minutes later. How on earth we didn’t get a penalty when Alexis was wrestled to the ground by Kone was a mystery to everybody but the truly hopeless Atkinson.
That was made even more painful when Cech upended Whatmore at the other end and Atkinson actually saw it. No complaints, it was clearly a spot-kick and Defoe inevitably cancelled out our oh so narrow advantage.
Sunderland 1-1 Arsenal
Shaken, we turned to Olivier Giroud, and how he secured the points we so richly deserved.With his first touch Giroud applied a wonderful acrobatic left foot finish to an excellent Gibbs cross and the advantage was ours again.
Sunderland 1-2 Arsenal
Cue “Na na na nana nana” and with his second touch Giroud netted a second with a magnificent glancing header shortly afterwards. He wasn’t the only player to lift the travelling faithful. Aaron Ramsey made a welcome return to action too.
Sunderland 1-3 Arsenal
The scoreline reflected our dominance when Alexis ended a goalmouth scramble with an assured finish from close range. The goals were coming faster than I could type!
Sunderland 1-4 Arsenal
As the game limped to a finish Alexis and Rambo were both denied. It would have been a criminal waste not to put the worst Sunderland team I can remember seeing to the sword. That it took so long was a surprise, but we were clinical when we needed to be and went top of the table, maybe briefly, for the second week in a row. We approach some stiffer tests in November in good heart and with options all over the pitch.
Arsene has some serious decisions to make in the coming weeks, starting with who to start up front after Giroud’s sensational cameo and a man of the match performance from Alexis today. That’s quite a good problem to have, isn’t it?
87 Responses to “Supersub Giroud Sinks Woeful Mackems”
First yay
Wow.. the reports just come in as fast as our goals!
Rest some of them for Ludo and play the best team against the spuds!
😀
Gibbo with a nice game today, couple of delicious crosses.
Holic,
Blimey that was quick but I have read it! And excellent report it is too. You sum it up well. This was a very poor Sunderland side but we seemed to coast along until they equalised. We had some standout performers today. Sanchez was at his very best, Elneny had his best game of the season and Gibbs provided more menace going forward than Nacho has of late.
Nice to have Giroud back and scoring. He is a very effective sub I remember him getting two in the Cup against Everton coming on about when he did here. Will he be more involved against the Spuds? Not sure Iwobi is adding too much at the moment but moving Sanchez out wide at the moment would be sacrilege. Good to see Ramsey back.
As for the Black Cats they were extremely poor. The defence is awful and they don’t have much spirit in the side. But who cares about them?
Well done Gunners!
Job done with quite some aplomb. Excellent weekend now guaranteed. 🙂
Masterful match report maestro, not least in reporting that Atkinson was both clueless and hopeless.
This is definitely the worst side in the league and only the blatantly biased refereeing prevented a bigger goal tally for us. Atkinson doesn’t even bother to appear impartial, surprised he wasn’t in Sunderland kit.
We must rest some of our leading players on Tuesday and keep our best eleven rested and ready for the spuds game.
Great start to the weekend but couldn’t stop being sorry for the wretched Sunderland fans. Cue for fat Sam to come back. They and Hull are sure to be relegated.
I can all but guarantee that Arsene won’t rotate much for Tuesday. Ludo will be a different proposition over there and we want to finish first in our group and we play the Spuds on Sunday not Saturday . I imagine they play Leverkusen on Wednesday.
Ospina will come in obviously and we might see him start Giroud and possibly rest Bellerin for Jenko. But I wouldn’t be surprised , given our injuries if the team was very similar to the one that started here. Hopefully we didn’t pick up any injuries today
Xhaka can come in for the Ludo game, and am wondering how bad Walcott’s injury is..
Expect Ramsey and Giroud to start for Ludo. Ozil and Alexis should not be playing the full 90 minutes.
Great result today.
..and the ref is a ….!
😀
Another speedy Gonzales report Holic!
Atkinson is blind as bat worse than a bat in fact! How on earth he did not give a penalty on Alexis? Goes to show how badly we need video technology in the game.
It got a bit edgy when they scored from a spot kick at the other end to make it level. Great first two touches from OG and some sweet foot work from Alexis to make it four.
We do like to make it hard for ourselves dont we?
BB 🙂
C…..
Talking point all around the blogsphere is how atrocious the referees are.
Hope we can get a good one after buffoons Moss and Atkinson.
Is santi back in training already?
@ATG
You said it … 🙂
Cheers H.
My first look at us this season. And i only saw the second half, due to the hockey?. See previous bar. However…
I thought Gibbs’ final ball looked much better than previously. Iwobi seemed tidy but not incisive. I like how comfortable he was with the ball though. Mustafi seemed solid and I liked his passing. I’m not sure that Ox links up well with others so he needs to make strong runs and have some end product. He looked much better on that front, but still is a work in progress. Ramsey rusty, of course. Alexis plays CF interestingly. I like the space he left for Ozil. Coquelin and Elneny lack creativity as a pair but should be solid on difficult European nights away. Giroud is good. There will be plenty of football for him this season even if he isn’t the shoe in he was last year. Maitland-Niles chased back a way to win the ball and it was great to see that the youngsters are picking up the mood of our current team- who take pride in putting in a shift.
The ref was comically inept. Loved the bit where he booked Alexis. Joker.
The commentary was the same. Apparently Coquelin and Elneny were indistinguishable to them- just say whatever name you want. And they grudge Arsenal for even existing, obviously.
But in terms of what We did and stuff Arsenal had any control over… I enjoyed that. Drinks all round. Huzzah!
I wished I’d had a chance to see Theo’s new incarnation too but I’m sure that day will come.
Welcome back! @GSD
😀
Super job, Holic.
Alternative headline –
“Kone Fails To Stop Arsenal Traffic”.
I’m off ……..
Mourinho sent off for Man Utd (and Herrera).
An FA charge for the moaning little turd during the week.
More embarrassment for the United hierarchy – how long can this last ?
Ok, I’m really off ……
Hi GSD btw ??
Just in after supporting one of Oxonne’s churchey functions all day and having forgotten my phone )-:. Obviously didn’t see or hear anything of the match so my information comes from Auntie Beeb’s match report and this and the previous bar…
The BBC report suggests we were all over Sunderland. It makes the traditional reference to Arsenal’s profligacy in front of goal; the chances of their coming to regret it and the overwhelming and clear need for them to convert their chances when 1-0 up. Readers blessed with reasonable memories may recall the same channel’s commentators remarks during the 2015 FA Cup Final, which proved to be even less justified by subsequent events. BBC reporting on Arsenal games really has become distressingly formulaic. I was glad to see that most of the drinkers here didn’t succumb to the temptation.
I’d be surprised to see much rotation for the midweek match – I expect the choices everywhere around the pitch to be governed more by considerations of form and tactics for the game than strategic considerations such as keeping players fresh for the team from oop t’Seven Sisters Road that dare not speak their name. As was said above, we don’t play until Sunday and will have had an extra day’s rest. Furthermore, we’ll have home advantage and we’re better than them anyway.
Finally, and without having checked the Liverpoo and ¢iti scores/results or even kick-off date/times, I’d be slightly surprised to see us conceding first place this evening; we’ve just boosted our goal difference by three and ours was superior to Pooh’s beforehand. We were only a goal worse off than Manchester Oilers this morning and a two-goal away win at West Brom would be a bit of a surprise given their recent form, more than that would be more of a surprise. I’d expect a one-goal win for them and am not sure what the goals scored numbers are/were. There’s a hostage to fortune if I’ve ever typed on.
I very much agree with Clive from the previous bar. This was definitely a game we needed to win to justify any title ambitions we might have. The same applies, naturally, to last weekend’s game but supporting the Arse would be a great deal easier (and, actually, a lot less fun) if results followed a clear and consistent path from week to week.
Buckle up everyone, it’s going to be (another) bumpy ride.
COYG
I’ve now seen the result from the Hawthorns.
Well, there you go. Further proof, if any was needed, that my powers of prediction are as nothing.
Someone’s getting sacked in the morning at old trafford…
😀 😀 😀
Hello BB and Trev! ? I hope you are both well. And everyone else of course.
I saw the second half of Utd. Or at least it was on in the background while I did other things. I don’t like them much. Ahem.
I have never had a player in my own Fantasy team who I am so pleased to see do badly as Ibrahimovic. He is on the very farthest edge of players that I dislike without disliking them enough that I won’t put them in my Fantasy team on principle. Like Diego Costa. Or Ryan Shawcross. Or anyone who plays for the tinies. Urggh.
Ah Will, Will.
Time was when Fantasy teams had to be “Pure”. I.e., no Mancs (neither red nor blue), no chavs, no tinies, no bin-dippers and no orcs. A tradition that seems, these days, only to be observed by the Players.
It’s really good to see you back, BTW.
Ha Pangloss. I couldn’t manage a ‘pure’ team- only 3 Arsenal players are allowed.? Anyway, Aguero is the first man in my team every year.
I had Shaqiri in for a while recently which marked a change in my policy of no orcs. They were the only other team apart from the spuds that were completely barred.
Palace v Poo is quite fun. I’ve been binge watching football today. It’s been a while.
Welcome back GSD
You have been much missed!
GSD – I think I’ve mentioned before that one of my (very few) complaints about Arsène Wenger is that he has forever blown out of the water my favourite reply to people asking me whether I was interested in football: “No, I’m an Arsenal fan”.
The “regulations” have actually made my Fantasy selection much easier: having selected three players from the Arse, and then have to only thirteen teams to consider to choose the other eight. Since I still know nothing about football, I need all the simplification I can get.
Welcome back, GSD. No aeroplanes to throw yourself out of today?
Good report, ‘Holic. I do wish we had scored a couple more today, which we had the chances to do. This league could be decided by which team proves most efficient in front of goal.
Trev@17: Bollards to that.
Cheers TTG. One behind the bar for you. In congratulations for your impending statue. Why is there no emoji for that? ?
I can’t be sure yet but it has just occurred to me that I might be able to watch the NLD. If so then I might pop in to the bar a little more regularly this week. Just like old times. It’s still my favourite bar.
Haha Pangloss. I know what you mean. I know bugger all about most teams in our division. Long may it last.
It’s nice being back in here but there is much in football that I have not missed. One that you will appreciate…
I mentioned the commentators in our game. The one for Utd saw Clattenburg wave away a penalty appeal and exclaimed “Once again the referee is completely disinterested.”
No idea what the words he is saying actually mean. But he seemed happy. Bless him.
No Ned. Although I will be in one tomorrow. I sincerely hope I won’t be jumping out of it though. ???
Allow me to buy the monks a beer? To share, of course. ?
Evening GSD. Good to see you here again. ??
Cheers, Ned,
I thought it had gone unnoticed.
Obviously just wasn’t very good ?
GSD,
I refuse to pay actual money for the abomination that is BT Sport football coverage. As a result I normally go to my David Lloyd thingy to watch our CL away games.
They either can’t or won’t turn the volume up so that you can actually hear the commentary, which has proved to be a real godsend. Infinitely preferable to the assortment of has been Scousers they employ – and even have Howard Webb in the referees truck ! ?
Graciously offered and communally accepted, GSD.
Trev: I blame sleeping policemen.
Fine summary maestro. Exactly the game I saw on delay after a day examining 50,000 year old bones in Oxford.
Special commendations for Gibbs, Elnenny, Coquelin, Alexis and that handsome french bloke.
Celebratory beverages of your preference on the bar, gents.
Now having watched multiple times the foul in the penalty area on Alexis that Martin Atkinson missed, the penalty should have been awarded in my opinion due to the way the defender falls after making contact with Alexis. The defender had his feet off the ground and all his weight pulling on Alexis’ shoulder so that when Alexis fell backwards there was nothing left to support the defender, who fell flat on his face.
Video evidence:
http://arsenalist.com/f/2016-17/sunderland-vs-arsenal/earlier-foul-on-alexis-in-the-box-penalty-not-given.html
Mourinho soon to be the first manager to convert two top four clubs into bottom half clubs within the space of twelve months?
To be honest with you is just Karma catching up with Maureen should have kept his lips sealed rather than making stupid comments, one springs to mind and it’s coming back to bite him.
Specialist in failure what a bell end!
To me apart from Alexis, Gibbo was my man of the match!
Coming back to that blatant penalty it’s sickening that such mistakes take place in the premier league!
As much as I don’t like United, Herrera should have never got a second yellow as he slipped end off. Clattenburg thought other wise and the red card that Xhaka was sent off for will never be a red on any other occasion this season.
Inconsistency after inconsistency and nothing will change that…
Top team beats bottom team, so no real surprise. Just a hiccup in the middle before normal service was resumed.
I sympathise with all quality players who get targeted, but Alexis’s continual whingeing was tiresome and it was no surprise to see him denied a pen based, I assume, on the boy-who-cried-wolf principle. Always best not to alienate the ref, even when he’s a clueless, biased pratt.
Just my luck, I’ve been advocating for and waiting to see OG and Theo playing together! But welcome back Ollie, and while Alexis has been great leading the side I still reckon the balance looks better with him back on his wing. It’s not like he’s going to be less of a handful for defenders wherever he plays, and OG’s height adds a welcome extra to attack and defence.
I have to agree with you, Trev (#34) – please don’t fall off your chair – about football commentary. For years I’ve been calling for coverage with just atmos crowd noise and nothing else, but is anyone listening? It’s like criticising heroes in this forum…
It turns out Spurs dropped two points after losing a lead at home. Suppose we will just have to take three more from them at the weekend for a total of five in a few days. At that point I wonder if they will feel the whoosh of our tailwind sweeping past them. 😉
Just to add to that bt8 @44, the tinies have remained unbeaten only for us to do the honours…
Cracking away day oop North yesterday. Easy (albeit long) journey up the A1 punctuated by full English with black pudding at Doncaster. Slight confusion as we tried to use the same free park and ride as we used in April, only to find that Sunderland have ripped up a crucial roundabout and my sat nav can’t cope. Having sent me round in circles twice I luckily saw a park and ride bus and followed it! Lots of fellow Gooners on the bus together with friendly but resigned Mackems.
Ten minutes on the bus and we’re at the Stadium of Light. Six double flights of steps later (what is it about NE grounds, Newcastle is the same) we arrive at the top of the stand where we have the whole of the upper tier behind the goal. We discover that our seats are in the very last row so another set of steps. Cardio exercise should satisfy my Dr anyway. A ten minute pause for breath follows.
Once the game starts the singing is loud, long and constant. The SoL has a tin roof on it (a bit like Fulham) so the sound bounces back and amplifies in a most satisfactory way. There is also a tin wall that makes a great drum! The Ox comes in for a bit of early criticism for not taking his man on. Then he skins his full back, turns on the after burners and whips in a great cross for Alexis to score with a header Alan Smith would have been proud of right in front of us. Pandemonium, hugs from complete strangers etc. We should have scored more in that first half with Ozil in particular missing two really good chances. Doesn’t he know we’ve been defending him against Chris these last two weeks?
As the subs come out to warm up we greet Ollie and Rambo with their songs. Both acknowledge – always nice.
As the half continues I hear something very strange. Now at the Emirates I’m used to having around me, as well as Londoners, Gooners from the US, Australia, all parts of Europe, Africa, China, Japan etc. But I have never before heard, as I did yesterday, two seats along from me, a proud, passionate loud Gooner ….with a broad Brummie accent. Later on in the bus queue a family of Gooners all in colours – but this time with County Durham accents. The joys of away days with the Arsenal family!
So onto the spills and thrills of the second half. Well described by the Landlord so I won’t repeat, except to say that the foul on Sanchez looked a pen from 120 yards away. But not mentioned above (so not apparent on TV?) is that when our third goal went in, there began one of the most efficient and rapid emptyings of a stadium I’ve ever seen. Bear in mind that was the 76th minute. Come the end there was almost no-one left in the home seats. Mind you shame on Sunderland for not applauding those who were left – all bar a couple were straight off down the tunnel.
We of course were mocking this exodus (is there a fire drill etc). But I wonder how we would feel and behave if we had two points from ten games?.
Anyway excellent last twenty and a deserved result after a scare. I thought Alexis, Mustafi, Gibbs and Elneny played really well, plus super sub Ollie of course. Very slightly below recent par were Mesut and Hector.
Off to get the bus – now completely consisting of Gooners as all the Mackem’s were already at home with the kettle on. Bit sticky getting out of Sunderland and a 3.5 hour drive home. Knackered.
Sorry for this being so long – I love my away days and this was a good one. Next up for me hopefully (tix not yet confirmed) City away.
Countryman that wasn’t long at all…. I always find these ‘in the flesh’ descriptions massively fascinating. As someone who has only ever seen the Arsenal on television here in India, these descriptions are the closest one comes to getting a feel of the real thing. So thanks a lot…
@Countryman100
Brilliant account, enjoyed reading that.
..and yes the ref needs glasses.
😀
Cheers Countryman. Great stuff.
Great stuff, Countryman.
Always enjoy your accounts.
Away days have changed a lot since I used to do the occasional one. Time prevents these days but I grew weary, and wary, of dodging gangs of home ‘supporters’, various missiles and plenty of coins which their throwers had left too sharp to pick up and collect.
Not to mention the state of the stadia. Tin roof ? You should be so lucky!
I remember a trip to Bolton’s old Burnden Park ground for an FA Cup tie. I walked round a corrugated iron wall (sheet) hammered into the grass bank, looking for the toilets, only to realise I was already IN the toilets. People were simply standing on the bank relieving themselves against said corrugated iron.
Remember the last line of the old song, “And we all piss up the wall” ?
Well it was true !
And a mere 3.5 hours to get home ? Pffttt ! ?
Love those accounts of away trips. As a fan who has barely ever managed to get to away games, and now I have the time can’t get near an away ticket because I have no away credits, it’s great to have the blow by blow account of the trip.
I still remember a tabs classic description of a visit to SHL which had truly Dickensian quality. The ‘feral children’ abusing him on the way to the ground sticks in the memory.
Countryman- congratulations on your very evocative description of yesterday’s game and for your dedication. I’m a comparative novice in games outside London but there is something very special about haring down the motorway with three points in the bag and the company of other joyful Gooners.
I remember an exchange at Villa Park after a 3-0 victory on New Years Eve
First Gooner- ‘what a lovely feeling’
Second Gooner- ‘ it’s my wife who’s gonna get a lovely feeling later on tonight’
First Gooner- ‘ so you’re on a promise’ ?
Second Gooner- ‘ the wife is on a promise every time we win’
FG- ‘ and if we lose’ .
SG- ‘ can’t s..g the wife if we’ve lost . Just don’t have the urge ‘
FG- ‘ good job for her you’re not a Tottenham fan!’
TTG – I guess the populations about to fall in Sunderland then! 🙂
Countryman, your account of the day made for great reading. There’s a pint for you at the bar!
Even when we conceded I was never really worried, there wasn’t really time for that as we scored so quickly. Gibbs my MOTM, completely shut down his flank and also contributed a lot in attack as well. I’d keep him in the team even with Monreal fit.
But the referee… Fucking hell. Now that we won handsomely we can talk about him without sounding like sore losers, and like the landlord says in the report it was a mystery how Sunderland finished the game with elven players. And then the non-penalty for Alexis?!? What the actual fuck???
Anyway, that’s seven wins from the last eight in the league which we of course can’t really complain about. And also worth noting how both us and ManCity looked closer to our best after having effectively had the week off. City sticking four goals past West Brom at the Hawthorns is impressive however you look at it.
Countryman no complains about the length nor quality of the post, really love those. Reminds me of that legendary Winds’ after a NLD (I think it was). Please keep them coming.
A simple win by top against bottom team but still enjoyed it. Looking forward to 2 good wins against our next EPL opponents….yes-yes one game at a time but that’s for the players – they must maintain professionalism- for us supporters we are allowed to dream.
COYG!
agreed with all the praise, countryman. thank you. a moylans kilt lifter on the bar for you…
Thank you Scruz! I have never tasted that Californian brew so look forward to the experience!
Chris@43: It is a golden rule at Castle Ned to find match commentary in a language we don’t speak. It is more intelligible that way.
C100@46: Great read. As d’gg said @47, much appreciated by us far-flungs.
ttg@52: 🙂
The foul on Sanchez looked a pen from 12,000 miles away, countryman (#46), which was why I suggested earlier that the only reason it was denied was because Alexis’s whingeing had alienated the clueless, biased ref. At least that’s what I was trying to say!
As for Özil going missing when needed you surely don’t need me to point it out again. I was amused to see Theo saying the same when Mesut only starting firing when the Ludogarets game was already won … https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuLDfr3zXPg
Good trick, Ned, but I’ve never been able to find an alternative to Sky down here.
Chris,
I wasn’t going to bother but as I know you can’t mean that seriously, I’ll join in the silliness.
Theo critiquing Mesut Özil. ???
Oh, he says, Mesut wasn’t around first half, was he ?
Theo wasn’t around for nine years !
If you really can’t see it, you need to update that 55″ plasma with a 3,600″ screen that shows you the whole pitch.
Better still, save the money, buy a ticket and come over and watch a game.
It’s the only way to appreciate the genius of Mesut.
Like the song says,
“We’ve got Özil, Mesut Özil,
I just don’t think you understand,
He’s Arsene Wenger’s man,
He’s better than Zidane,
We’ve got Mesut Özil !”
It must have been written just for you, Chris.
Better than Zidane? That’s something else I have to disagree with. 😀
Hmmmm. The last time I watched an Arsenal game live we lost 8-2 at Old Trafford. And the time before (a week earlier) we lost 2-0 at home to Pool. And in neither game did I get a clear view of ALL the action. Loved the atmosphere, but a very distorted impression from virtual ground level.
And no, I didn’t mean the Özil comments entirely seriously. I recognise his genius, but get frustrated with its inconsistency. Theo couldn’t resist noting what I have criticised frequently, but I’m sure we both agree the man is worth paying on balance.
…not sure he’d be worth a quarter mil a week though.
*gives up*?
Never give up, Trev. Have another elderberry.
No one is worth a quarter mil a week. But that’s football nowadays.
Mesut is as worth that money as anyone else.
Chris.
Alexis was not happy about a few decisions. At least a couple were fouls that should have been given. When my Arsenal hating commentary started trotting out lazy, daft lines about ‘boy who cried wolf’ I simply sighed. I expect this nonsense from them.
Are we to assume that by complaining when a referee fails to award you a deserved free kick (or even one that YOU feel is deserved) that you rule yourself out of having the referee apply the laws of football fairly in the future? And that this is perfectly reasonable and the non-application of said laws by the referee is a just punishment for this? And that the failure in this instance is rightly apportioned on Alexis and his sneaky ways whilst we make excuses for a ref who fails to award a penalty for the incident in question? (Which is definitely a pen)
Because I’m not on board with any of that.
Now, let’s all get back on track and remember the truth of this situation, and many others. The refs are bloody awful.
Alexis had every right to be unhappy about a whole lot of violence aimed at him, GSD, and every right to complain to the ref about it. But in my view he overdid the arguing, continuing to harangue Atkinson when it was clear the ref had no interest in his complaints. All that was going to happen after that was the ref getting antagonistic towards him and himself more frustrated by the minute. And sadly I am never surprised when a poor ref goes against logic in such circumstances.
Much as I sympathise with Alexis he should have shut up, got on with his job and left the appalling reffing accusations for management later.
Great away day report Countryman.
I have some wonderful memories of away days with my Father in the late 50’s and into the 60’s.
He had a lot of good mates from his army days fighting with Monty in the Desert war,who were scattered all over the Country.
So regularly for the long trips to Sheffield/Yorkshire/Manchester et al,we would stay with one of his mates.
As Dad worked for himself as a Painter and Decorator,he would finish work Friday lunchtime,and we would head off up North in the early afternoon with me nipping off school.
Nearly all of his mates would have children of their own,so we would all go to the match together on the Saturday,enjoy the game,then have an enormous fish supper afterward,sleep like the dead after all the fresh air,and then come home on the Sunday.
I was a very lucky lad.
You want to be careful taking too much fresh air, ‘holic. But fish and chips can be a good palliative.
When I was a player I was far too gobby with referees, often giving a running commentary and, consequently, often in the notebook.
When I was a referee, if a player wanted to question a decision then I had no problem discussing it albeit that I wouldn’t change it. If he continually “offered me advice” I would suggest that there was a good chance he could talk himself into a caution.
In my opinion, there is absolutely no benefit in moaning at the referee – none at all.
If Gooner Ref is still around, perhaps he may have an opinion?
UTA.
+1 on the personal goonerdays out reports
along with ‘holic’s never shite write-up
ye get the real Arsenal deal right here
lucky fuckers we are
and cheers clive
that’s me for the whole day
imaginary chip shop vinegar wafts everyfuckinwhere
aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
The statos at the Football Observatory in Switzerland have ranked Arsenal as the 25th most productive training club in Europe. They counted the number of youngsters who were on the books for three seasons between ages 15-21 who are now first-teamers at clubs in the top division of any of the 32 European leagues.
We’ve produced 35, nine of whom are still with us and the other 26 of which ply their trade elsewhere. If you narrow it down to players at clubs in the top five European leagues, we have produced 22, 13 of whom are elsewhere (joint 8th in the rankings with Monaco and Rennes).
Manchester United is the only English team to be more productive: 42 in all leagues and 34 in the top five (of which six are still at the Old Toilet and 36 and 28 elsewhere respectively).
Ajax tops the all-leagues list with 72 (only nine of whom are at Ajax). Real Madrid tops the top-5-leagues list, with 41, 34 of whom are elsewhere.
http://www.football-observatory.com/IMG/sites/b5wp/2016/163/en/
Clive@71: How much fresh air was there up North then? I remember the pea-soupers in North London being bad enough. Fish and chips probably better then than today, tough.
countryman, enjoy the kilt lifter, it’s a wee heavy that’s available here (since most scotch ales are not).
clive, you were lucky indeed. still moreso to be able to retain the memory, and share so evocatively. as cba says, wafts everyfuckingwhere.
Theo, Santi, Nacho and Hector left out of the trip to Ludogorets. Hope they are all fit, rested and ready by Sunday. Interesting to see who plays in Bellerin’s place. Can’t wait for the match which is only an appetizer for the spuds game.
Wishing a lucky and good November to all the holics and especially to Arsenal!
Ned
To a young lad like me,i wouldn’t have noticed the difference.!!
Although i have vivid memories of going to Old Trafford for a cup tie in the early 60’s,where all we saw was a fleeting glimpse of a goal post before the match was postponed.
What a weekend that was,not least because i stuck my head out the window of the carriage door for a breath of fresh air,[ bearing in mind all carriages were smokers]and promptly lost the new Arsenal bobble hat Dad had bought me for Christmas.
The silence the rest of the way to Manchester was deafening.!!
cba/scruz
The fish of choice in those days for me was always Rock Salmon.
Most of the time the fish men got the batter just right,chips up north were legendary for their size and quality,wagon loads of salt and vinegar,none of the nancy/poncy slices of lemon in today’s sad world,wrapped in half the local newspaper and a piece of butchers paper.
Wonderful.
Did anyone have a rattle? They were potentially lethal but used very innocently but nowadays they’d be confiscated at the gate.
Whenever you see newsreels of older games in the fifties and back beyond there everyone seemed to have one. But it was never a part of my football watching equipment
Clive,
Lost your bobble hat …… Lucky you didn’t lose your head !
ttg@82: I did. I wonder what happened to it.
http://www.aftn.co.uk/disappearingworld4.html
Different times:
http://www.whoateallthepies.tv/wp-content/gallery/fa-cup-nostalgia-photos/pa-4539892.jpg
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