By Bulldog Drummond
Such is the level of, well not exactly debate but general commentary, on Arsene Wenger’s decision to leave that it is difficult to focus on the West Ham game. One thing I would add personally was that I thought that amidst all the snide remarks and put downs that came pouring out on Radio 5, Ian Wright was superb. Genuinely thankful to have been given the chance to play under Wenger, sad that he didn’t get longer as it was the end of his career. It was a delight to listen to.
So now let’s move on to the West Ham game.
WHAM are 14th, six points above relegation and with a game in hand, which will probably upset their owners, because if they had gone down they would have had a major reduction in their already pitifully small rent on the so-called London Stadium.
Their away form ain’t that brilliant, this table showing away games only…
| Pos | Club | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts |
| 14 | Swansea City | 17 | 2 | 6 | 9 | 11 | 26 | -15 | 12 |
| 15 | West Ham United | 17 | 2 | 6 | 9 | 21 | 38 | -17 | 12 |
| 16 | Everton | 17 | 2 | 6 | 9 | 13 | 33 | -20 | 12 |
| 17 | Huddersfield Town | 17 | 3 | 3 | 11 | 11 | 32 | -21 | 12 |
| 18 | Brighton and Hove Albion | 16 | 2 | 4 | 10 | 9 | 22 | -13 | 10 |
| 19 | West Bromwich Albion | 17 | 2 | 4 | 11 | 9 | 25 | -16 | 10 |
| 20 | Stoke City | 17 | 1 | 6 | 10 | 13 | 37 | -24 | 9 |
Arsenal by comparison at home have this record…
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | F | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manchester City | 16 | 14 | 1 | 1 | 53 | 13 | 40 | 43 |
| 2 | Manchester United | 17 | 13 | 2 | 2 | 35 | 8 | 27 | 41 |
| 3 | Arsenal | 17 | 13 | 2 | 2 | 45 | 19 | 26 | 41 |
| 4 | Liverpool | 17 | 11 | 6 | 0 | 41 | 10 | 31 | 39 |
| 5 | Tottenham Hotspur | 16 | 10 | 4 | 2 | 32 | 12 | 20 | 34 |
| 6 | Chelsea | 17 | 10 | 3 | 4 | 28 | 15 | 13 | 33 |
That emphasises just how difficult life has been away from home – we have accrued just two points fewer than Manchester City and indeed have scored 10 more goals than Man U at home this season. That suggests that the difficulty away from home is as much psychological as anything else – and something that could be sorted out without too much difficulty in the summer.
It is also interesting that when people speak of Arsenal’s defence being useless, at home this season we have let just six more goals than Man City. OK that is six more than we would like – but not too big a hole to plug. If one sees the problem not as a defence problem but an away problem, the solution is quite different.
So Arsenal score on average 2.34 goals at home in each league game and let in 1.12.
West Ham score on average 1.24 goals at home in each league game and let in 2.24
Everything points to 2-1 to Arsenal, but maybe we could hope for a few more than that as the team go out to show their manager (and from here on, the next manager) exactly what they can do.
West Ham in the last ten have won just two, lost five and drawn three.
| Date | Game | Res | Score | Competition |
| 27 Jan 2018 | Wigan Athletic v West Ham | L | 2-0 | FA Cup |
| 30 Jan 2018 | West Ham v Crystal Palace | D | 1-1 | Premier League |
| 03 Feb 2018 | Brighton and Hove v West Ham | L | 3-1 | Premier League |
| 10 Feb 2018 | West Ham United v Watford | W | 2-0 | Premier League |
| 24 Feb 2018 | Liverpool v West Ham | L | 4-1 | Premier League |
| 03 Mar 2018 | Swansea City v West Ham | L | 4-1 | Premier League |
| 10 Mar 2018 | West Ham v Burnley | L | 0-3 | Premier League |
| 31 Mar 2018 | West Ham v Southampton | W | 3-0 | Premier League |
| 08 Apr 2018 | Chelsea v West Ham | D | 1-1 | Premier League |
| 16 Apr 2018 | West Ham v Stoke City | D | 1-1 | Premier League |
Those two wins were both at home against moderate opposition, although they did get an away draw at Chelsea. They have scored 11 goals in these games, and conceded 19.
Arsenal in their last ten look like this…
| Date | Game | Res | Score | Competition |
| 01 Mar 2018 | Arsenal v Manchester City | L | 0-3 | Premier League |
| 04 Mar 2018 | Brighton and Hove v Arsenal | L | 2-1 | Premier League |
| 08 Mar 2018 | AC Milan v Arsenal | W | 0-2 | Europa League |
| 11 Mar 2018 | Arsenal v Watford | W | 3-0 | Premier League |
| 15 Mar 2018 | Arsenal v AC Milan | W | 3-1 | Europa League |
| 01 Apr 2018 | Arsenal v Stoke City | W | 3-0 | Premier League |
| 05 Apr 2018 | Arsenal v CSKA Moscow | W | 4-1 | Europa League |
| 08 Apr 2018 | Arsenal v Southampton | W | 3-2 | Premier League |
| 12 Apr 2018 | CSKA Moscow v Arsenal | D | 2-2 | Europa League |
| 15 Apr 2018 | Newcastle United v Arsenal | L | 2-1 | Premier League |
Six wins three defeats and a single draw. Goals scored 21, goals conceded 13.
On the basis of these recent results, and indeed the home/away differences it shouldn’t be too hard to win – but of course with the emotion of the moment, who knows what tricks the media and their chums who make it into the ground will deliver.
We’ll look at the teams tomorrow morning.
- “He turned football into an art.” Ivan Gazidis notes the Untold banner
- Arsenal v West Ham Sunday 22 April, The Match Officials: A very poor ref even on a good day
- Thank you Mr. Wenger
And from the Arsenal History Society
- In 2009 Arshavin scored four against Liverpool. But that was not the only “four”.
- April 1922: Arsenal and Man U fight against relegation. Only one survives.
Watching the Semi-final…Vertonghan – two hands in the middle of Lingaard’s back, pushes him down…nothing. Apparently a ‘coming together’
Taylor with his selective vision & the VAR PGMOL idiot is Mariner another one of the select ively blind! (split on purpose).
It’s nice to see the Spuds chairman wearing his cock on his lapel. 🙂 😉
Best of a poor choice…Spuds in defeat…good to see.
Oh dear trophyless Totts. Potch out!
same old chickens, eight semis lost consecutively, and they were at the Coop.
Not easy this trophy winning lark, even for teams the media tell us will level all before them . Perhaps those who regularly win trophies deserve more respect.
Another bottle job by Spurs , despite Anthony Taylor looking like he was doing his best for them at times
Hmmm. I am indifferent to the outcome of the Man Utd vs Tottenham Hotspur FA Cup semifinal match result which took place at Wembley Stadium this evening with Utd beating Spurs 2-1 to reach the final of the competition. And that was despite Spurs playing at their temporary home ground, the Wembley Stadium.
Being the first post Le Boss’ announcement to leave Arsenal at the end of this season match, however, I am very much concern with the outcome of our PL home match against the West Hammers tomorrow that will take place at the Emirates Stadium. And in this light I prefer to make my own starts and bench for the match today.
This should have been the match where Le Boss should have rotated the Gunners and not in the PL match away to Southampton where Arsenal suffered a 2-1 defeat which I believe heightened the crisis that led to Le Boss summarily announcing he is quitting from his Arsenal job. But it must be acknowledged that Le Boss’ hands were tight as he has to do Gunners rotation in the Saints match as five senior first team starting Gunners of: Bellerin, Koscielny, Ramsey, Oezil and Welbeck all returned from the CSKA Muskiva ELC away match at the VEB Stadium fatigued and with injury knocks and cut.
Nevertheless, in our West Ham match at the Ems tomorrow, to rest in that match are: Bellerin, Koscielny, Mustafi who has over played, Ramsey who is having a cut, Oezil who will need further rest to be 100% ready for Atletico, Welbeck who will need to further rest too to be optimally ready for Atletico match, Wilshere who is carrying an ankle injury and needing a rest to recover for Atletico. And finally, let Lacazette rest too to be at 100% energy ready to lead the line for Arsenal against Atletico next Thursday night. These are the 1st team match starting 8 Gunners I am advising Le Boss should rest in this West Ham game for the all important Arsenal vs Atletico Madrid ELC 1st leg semi-final match at the Ems.
My Arsenal 4-1-2-2-1 starts and 7 on the bench Gunners for the West Ham match.
Starts:
—————————-Cech—————————–
Holding-Chambers-Mavropanos-Monreal
—————————ElNeny—————————
Maitlan-Niles—————————-Kolasinac
Willock——————————————–Iwobi
———————Aubameyang———————–
What a starting Gunners XI I’ve started above! They’ll demolish the West Hammers by 4 goals to nil.
Bench:
Ospina Bellerin Koscielny Ramsey Oezil Welbeck Lacazette.
Whoever on the bench Le Boss feels is needing a game to unwind rustiness before the Atletico match can be brought on to play far into the 2nd half of this West Ham match.
A very good point Mandy. Much more difficult than any of us realise, especially when your not bank rolled.
Well, the press ought to be asking for Pochettino’s head. By all accounts they ought to be screaming for it, flying planes above London with the message. I mean the guy is a total and utter failure right ? He’s won zilch. Nothing.
Don’t care who plays Manure, I’ll be hoping they beat them.
Spurs losing has lightened the gloom a little. But now Man U must not win the final.
Interesting – and not altogether unsurprising – that many of the comments in this thread seem to imply that Taylor favoured Spurs.
No mention of Pogba’s clear push in Dembele’s face / neck / upper chest that directly enabled Utd’s equaliser. Nor Lukaku jumping straight into Vertonghen, with no intention to win the header, in the immediate build up to Utd’s winner. Nor any acknowledgement of the fact that Valencia should have been sent off for a second bookable offence when pulling down Alli.
To be clear, I’m not going to moan at Taylor for getting those decisions wrong. Truth is that Mourinho did a number on Spurs’ attacking players and Poch failed to find an effective tactical response. That’s why Spurs really lost. They were, to put it bluntly, very poor in attack in the second half. But I do know, beyond doubt, that had those exact, same decisions gone against Arsenal, you boys would be all over them like a rash and moaning for Britain while murmuring – nay, shouting – darkly about conspiracy and corruption instead of acknowledging, as I have, that your team didn’t play well enough on the day.
Which inconsistency and bias is precisely why, much as you might protest, I take Untold’s refereeing reports and stats with a massive pinch of salt.
And since I’m here, I would also like to add that I admire what Wenger achieved at your club regardless that wasn’t easy for a Spurs fan to witness. He didn’t just win trophies. He changed the philosophy of the club altogether – from one which had always prized winning over entertaining.
Sadly, for him and for all of you, I suspect that he got carried away with that philosophy. And it became a conceit. Yes, in some respects, football can be an art. But it is also, equally validly and worthy of praise, a game of courage, graft and fight. And my gues is that Wenger lost sight of that somewhere along the way. And maybe many of you have too?
Above all, though, he is a decent and honest man. And I hope that he receives the send off from Arsenal fans that he deserves even if he fails to deliver the Europa League – and with it, Champions League qualification – come season’s end.
Initially, love to see Southampton evoke the spirit of Bobby Stokes and win it, but ,actually, no they are managed by Mark Hughes and tend to get away with rather a lot against us.
Who would choose a desired winner out of those three as an Arsenal fan? Maybe best just to ignore the whole thing.
Still, at least the spuds are out, one media wankfest prevented as we all know Poch winning a single FA Cup would mean more , by an exponential factor, than all wengers wins put together .
Jim, claiming to know what other people are thinking is a dangerous step to take. To “Suspect” is fine, but to go beyond… that road leads to a spiral downwards. Likewise taking implications and turning them into overarching viewpoints doesn’t lead to good logical thinking.
The reality is that just because a referee makes a lot of mistakes favouring one team does not say he did not make the same at times favouring the other – only an analysis like the 160 games could begin to approach that because of the mass of data. The issue the site points out is that because errors can be observed at a level significantly above the accuracy level claimed by PGMO and because of the secrecy of PGMO we don’t know what is going on. And because of the errors not being reported elsewhere readers here mention them because this is “Untold” – we cover stories not widely told or not told at all elsewhere.
Criticising elements of the argument and philosophy while not considering the whole is a bit like attacking an engineering magazine for not talking about politics.
Mandy,
may I add a reminder of the Guardian headline on the story of Mr Wenger leaving : – won 3 PL titles
That just says it all….
But as you said, we’ve escaped one hell of a media wankfest and Spurs have yet again proved they are specialists in failure, incapable of winning when refs do not go their way – Arsenal did win with refs against them, didn’t they ?
JimB – I’m so happy that you spotted a few PGMOL errors in the FA semi final. There was a VAR official also a PGMOL appointee or should one call him a selection like the rest of the corrupt bunch of ‘past their sell by date’ grapes.
Officiating like that is absolutely bringing the game into disrepute.
Arsenal has had to put up with these select selectively blind cheating bastards all of Wengers reign & despite it Wenger has proved to be successful. The changes will be happening soon as Wenger will out this lot as soon as he has split the cord that binds him to the FA geriatrics.
Personally I think the F.A should appoint Wenger to head the PGMO . At least then it would be done in an open and fair way on all sides.
It is so tiresome to listen to these talking heads repeat tired shibboleths about Arsenal. So repetitive…boring.
not looking good for Elneny. And, he and Ramsey are our only creative players on the pitch
no replays on his injury…I wonder why?
Iwobi has been ineffectual this half.
Hopefully, we learn from this half, adjust and come out stronger.
Lol, the guy who doesn’t see when arsenal commits? Don’t be ridiculous, just allow the man retire peacefully or go manage PSG