A year on, and how the tune has changed. By Poul Tree.
A year ago we met the Tinies in the 3rd round of the League Cup. Our team was
Ospina, Debuchy, Mertesacker, Chambers, Gibbs, Arteta, Flamini, Ramsey, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Campbell, Giroud.
This time against Forest the team was
Martinez, Maitland-Niles, Holding, Gabriel, Gibbs, Elneny, Xhaka, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Reine-Adelaide, Akpom, Lucas
Not a bad selection by the Untold team in the pre-match guesswork!
Two players played in both games Gibbs and the Ox; the changes reflect in part the intensity of the match that was expected against Tottenham, but also just how far forwards we have come in a year.
It also reflects the depth of the squad. Contrary to predictions on Untold, Ooooospina did not play and wasn’t even on the beach, but rather we had our third choice keeper on the pitch and the fourth choice languishing by the Trent.
And the result, as one correspondent wrote in the national press, was that “Wenger’s players passed the ball with the kind of elegance that is simply not seen in second-tier”.
It will also be interesting to look at what happens in the next round where a year ago having beaten the Tinies in September on their own patch we then lost 3-0 to the Wednesday with Mr Wenger famously, and most unusually, criticising the youngsters he put in the team that day.
But most of all what we now have are several young players who might well become a solid part of the first team squad in the next couple of years.
OK, some of them are already part of the first team set up, but looking at the way the club has developed in the last few years with players emerging to be part of the first team, without having been transferred for a huge fee, there is a fair chance that at the very least one of these will be knocking on the door this season. Jeff Reine-Adelaide looks maybe the best bet, but who could be dismissed out of Maitland-Niles, Holding, or Akpom? And I still rate Willock the Elder.
Of course the most amusing sight is how the journalists and their editors are gnashing of the teeth, having to look elsewhere for their negative stories that they feel football supporters are anxious to read every day. Normally it is so simple: “go and see Arsenal and write something bad about them” is the standing order from editor to underling. Now, well we have such funny headlines….
Toure on way out of City as agent blasts Guardiola
Five things Mourinho must do to stop the rot at United
Chelsea fans not impressed by Cahill despite goal against Leicester in League Cup win
Scrutiny grows on Mourinho as losses mount up
To be balanced, the press haven’t quite got their heads around how Tottenham will cope in the coming weeks, restricting themselves to
Tottenham Kane set to be out for eight weeks with ankle injury
Kane set to be out for eight weeks with ankle injury
and other blandness. Had he played for Arsenal the headlines would be
Arsenal in total crisis as star striker out for at least three months with no replacement in site. Fans go berserk at Wenger on social media.
But times move on and the little scribblers are forced to case their eyes further afield bringing us
Barton under investigation for allegedly breaking betting rules
Hughes retains support of board despite frustrating form
‘Mourinho criticism nastier, more personal than Fergie’s ever was’
Tottenham fan’s view of Wembley experience: ‘Most of the best moments came before kick-off’
Adebayor hits out at club’s ‘nonsense’ excuse for not signing him
Fellaini and Rooney out of place in altered Manchester United system
Home discomforts risk bursting West Ham’s bubble
Discord and poor organisation in and around the repurposed Olympic Stadium threatens to be more serious than mere teething troubles
What really strikes me is how utterly, totally and amazingly BLAND it all is, compared to the raging torrents of abuse that we had last season about Arsenal (who to the utter embarrassment of the media and all anti-Wengerians everywhere ended up second in the league!)
Instead in commentary on last night’s game we get
“Lucas Pérez’s confidence should be soothed by the two goals he scored during that period of the match when the away side were at their most dominant. On that basis alone, Wenger can reflect on a satisfactory evening, featuring another spectacular goal from Granit Xhaka and late debuts for Chris Willock and Krystian Bielik, two 18-year-olds from the club’s conveyor belt of young talent.
“The only irritation for Arsène Wenger came when a fan was allowed to wander into the technical area during the second-half and tried to hand him a burger. Wenger looked suitably disgusted – not just at the food – but at the security breach.”
Even last weekend as the crisis at Very Old Trafford (built 1910) deepened we got “The Manchester United manager, José Mourinho, used a new system but encountered familiar problems in midfield and attack with Marouane Fellaini and Wayne Rooney in losing 3-1 at Watford.”
If it had been Arsenal then we would have have
Clueless Arsène Wenger system changes don’t even paper over the desperate cracks in the entire Emirates edifice as fans demand manager’s public execution, deportation of chairman and return to Highbury.
As it was what we mostly get from the press today as the scribblers run around backwards totally unsure of what to do in a territory in which Arsenal have scored eight in the last two games and 17 in seven; and this from a club so desperately lacking in any sense of anything that they even failed to sign a proper striker in the summer, instead panic buying at the last second.
Here is another thought. Only three of the players in the Arsenal starting line up were aged over 24. Shock horror! No experience!!! Before the match started the scribblers had the headline ready…
Wenger’s gamble with kids backfires.
Actually though I must admit the Guardian did provide me with some decent service. The three over 24 was noticed by them, as was the fact that we had six teenagers on the beach and, in total, Arsenal’s starting XI and seven substitutes wore shirt numbers totting up to 618.
I mean, I know someone must have been horribly bored to calculate that, and it really is trivia, but it is still amusing that a Guardian journalist would be so desperate that he or she would get the calculator going on the mobile.
“I told the players before the game that we went to Sheffield Wednesday and lost 3-0 because we were not ready mentally for the commitment of the Championship,” Mr Wenger said afterwards. “Our history helped us tonight to start in a much stronger way.”
And that is what happened.
- League Cup: Nottingham Forrest – Arsenal 0-4: Xhaka boom again and a brace from Lucas Peréz
- Forest v Arsenal updates and Bellerin “has Barça DNA in his blood.”
- Ref Review: Arsenal – Southampton; a perfect example of how the new instructions to refs affects the flow of the game.
Anniversary of the Day
21 September 1889: Arsenal beat Tottenham 10-1 in the opening game of the season. Arsenal played six games between this date and the end of November and scored 50 goals, letting in five.
I like the bit about the burger.
Do you think the boss would have preferred a pie.
Poul
You write a good post and it’s the food we fixATE ?
Just a note to Tony and Walter in may only be me but Untold’s not coming up on newsnow
Pie!!.. nooooo
Caviar??
With this our last night ELC 3rd round comprehensive victory over Nott Forest, I think Le Prof now has a very strong ECL team in place against any lower League opposition team. But apart of Xhaka, Elneny, Gibbs, Oxchambo and Perez, 5 senior team players he used at Nottingham Forest, he could be forced to raise the bar of senior players inclusion by including more senior Gunners if we are drawn against Premier League opposition in the 4th round.
Poul
“Arsenal in total crisis as star striker out for at least three months with no replacement in sight. Fans go berserk at Wenger on social media.”
That is just so true.
Has the word ‘crisis’ ever been applied to any other team ever ?
Last night’s result sure did banish any concerns about the thrashing the u23’s had the previous night. I think it was worth it to pull out the 8 or more players who would have played. (Now go for a very strong team against Chelsea youth on Friday!)
Didn’t see game but everything suggests a remarkably positive day’s work.
Apparently some BBC text update suggested it was like cheating to include a 35 million player in the league cup. A lame joke, i guess, but one that illustrates the sheer desperation to find any sort of negative. Maybe i’ve missed the same joke in the past when other teams field expensive players. Maybe it was a coincidence it popped into someone’s head while we were playing.
Also noticed some line in The Mail report like ‘we told you, Arsene’, i.e we told you to spend money to win, about our new buys and their involvement in last night’s success.
When they’re having to grub around so low for negatives it actually helps me triangulate their attitude all the better : it’s almost involuntary at this stage; for whatever reason, a huge proportion of the media have a bone deep negative attitude towards us, meaning they enjoy our defeats and dislike us winning.
The key is that it isn’t dictated by recent events and as such there is far less ‘thinking’ going on than you’d expect.
The poor blighters are merely negative automatons, enslaved by their pasts; this is much more visible when there’s so little for them to criticise yet the desire to do so remains so strong.
I have found the footage where that burger man approached Wenger.
http://gfycat.com/UnselfishCloudyAntarcticgiantpetrel
What the hell was he thinking?!?! Arsenal’s doctor had to shoo him away. And what about the security or stewards ? nowhere to be seen.
@ Jambug
In fairness, under Fergie the words ‘injury crisis’ were used a lot if Man U had two players out for over a week. Just the media getting excuses in early on Man U’s behalf…..just in case the ref couldn’t make up the difference
The universe knows it’s Arsenals time now, it’s just up to Arsenal to know this too.
Team looking good, injuries are replaced by good backups until they come back, and they will have to fight.
Now a bigger test against Chelsea on Sat. Being home, i am a little apprehensive but being Chelsea i’m sure the team will be up for it.
Come on home crowd, let them know you are happy.
Its like the BBC was so disappointed that we won that they did not even report it on their website(or did I miss it). The other day their report was something like this “classy man city dismantle Bournemouth” and “Arsenal pick three points against Hull City” yet both winners scored four goals. So much for negativity.
Rich
“Also noticed some line in The Mail report like ‘we told you, Arsene’, i.e we told you to spend money to win, about our new buys and their involvement in last night’s success”
Similar to the headline in the The Mail on Sunday which read:
BIG-MONEY SIGNINGS CASH IN AGAINST 10-MAN HULL
They knock us day after to spend money only to use the fact we have as yet another reason to knock us.
It really is pathetic.
Goonermikey
Yes indeed, I forgot that particular application.
Para
Chelsea are going to be a big test. How we are refereed against them has obviously had a big influence on the outcome in a few of the recent encounters and this one will be no different.
Costa is the key.
He has looked on fire but to be honest this could work for or against us. The thing with Costa is whenever he plays us he gets totally over hyped up. He is almost certain to boil over at the slightest incident and this is where we are going to need a strong Referee.
If he’s on his game, and refuses to allow Costa to get away with his usual antics of winding players up, diving around trying to win free kicks, or worst of all, rolling around like he’s been shot trying to get players sent off, we should be ok.
If not we could be in trouble.
The negativity around Arsenal nd AW is so pervading , disgusting nd palpable everywhere; Tony, pls culd u enlighten me on d reasons Arsenal nd AW are always d butt of dis annoying nagatives! Is it bcos Arsenal refuse to be taken over by those ‘Godfathers’ who run teams like chelsky et al?is it bcos Arsenal plays unique nd attractive football? Is It bcos AW is a naturally endowed, intelligent nd gifted manager? Is it bcos AW is French? Am not trying to sound racist,but nids to ask bcos I cannot tink of any other manager who has bin so abused, harrased, debased in all social platforms nd news outlets like him; d why’s are So many dat one is baffled at d constant pilloring of dis great club, players , manager nd d. Board ! Pls Tony put dis issues in perspective , we want to kno especially we who are not within Europe shores.
@para…I agree “Come on home crowd, let them know you are happy.”
We use “We” when we talk about Arsenal because we feel part of the club. We should then adopt that attitude when others come to play the boys on the pitch. It should never be 11 v 11 at the Emirates. It should always be 60 011 v 11 for the full 90 minutes!
Up the Guns!!
Ian Wright in the news today claiming one of his ‘mates’ told him Wenger never wanted Xhaka, which contradicts every report coming out of the club since the start of the window. I’m way past being fed up with Wright and his antics. The guy was a ledge for us on the pitch but his mouth has grown legs in subsequent years and appears to want to run away with itself at every opportunity. His slagging of AW and the team has been nothing short of a disgrace; I met him once back in the nineties whilst I was working at a south coast hotel and his arrogance was in beast mode even back then – he’s Judas now and I pray that Thierry doesn’t go the same way in his old age.
Xhaka is looking like the buy of the window already – almost time for an internet meme of him and Pogba isn’t it?
Has taunts from the GG IS GOD Blog finally pushed AW over the edge , and forced him to go against his normal instinct of picking unknown younglings for the League Cup , and to go with experience in an effort to win the only domestic trophy that has eluded him ?
Does it irk him so much , that he is willing to risk his expensive buys to get that elusive win ? GG’s record was 2 out of 3, while AW’s was none out of 2 .
Will a win finally get him his coverted statue outside the Ems ?
Let the great debate begin !
Tony , Walter , I posted the above comment at 5:38 , using my remote ( one finger !) and on my hall internet tv , as I was not able to log on here earlier using my desk top computer , and got my e-mail address all wrong . That’s why its in moderation .
Sorry , must be the brain farts !
Am about to partake in a glass of wine to correct the error !
Ian Wright is a nasty piece of work.
Against Chelsea, based on recent memory, we should be quite happy to finish with 10 men. At least it’s better than 9.
The burger footage is amazing. Was he drunk or what? He actually pestered Arsene to take the burger. I reckon Arsene was mainly annoyed at having his concentration broken when he was trying to watch the match.
Maybe it was a bet.
Arsenal playing Reading in the next EFL Cup game. We keep meeting same teams.
If and when Arsenal truly becomes a ‘top , top club’ , who will be credited with its ultimate success ?
The far sighted board and owner ;
the loyal and resolute manager ;
the hard core fans who were present throughout the journey ;
the sneaky press , pundits and disloyal ex-players ;
the guy who started the ‘Spend the fucking money ‘ movement;
or the fans who bitched and moaned; booed and made banners and wore black scarves ?
Probably a combination of some of these . A day will come when we will make up our minds .
And what started this train of thoughts ? This joke ….
A physician, an engineer, and a politician were discussing who among them belonged to the oldest of the three professions. Each one of them thought they had this in the bag.
The physician said, “Remember, on the sixth day God took a rib from Adam and fashioned Eve, making him the first surgeon. Therefore, medicine is the oldest profession.”
The engineer replied, “But, before that, God created the heavens and earth from chaos and confusion, and thus he was the first engineer. Therefore, engineering is an older profession than medicine.”
Then, the politician spoke up. “Yes yes, this is all well and true.” he said.
“But who do you think created all of the chaos and confusion?”
Wife : Look at that drunk guy.
Husband : Who is he ?
Wife : 10 years ago he proposed to me and I rejected him .
Husband : Oh my god ! He’s still celebrating !!!
Excuse me, do you happen to have any Grey Poupon??
because a burger isn’t a burger without——Grey Poupon.