By Bulldog Drummoind
Here’s a commentary from a newspaper reporter about Arsenal. “Things are not quite clicking with the ball and for now they may have to be grateful for flourishes like Alexandre Lacazette’s super goal against Everton or Granit Xhaka’s free-kick at Newcastle. Watford will hope their run of good fortune does not last; Arsenal would take three points in whatever form if it means their transition behind the scenes can continue without too much scrutiny.”
So it is all down to Arsenal’s good luck. Not skill. Not the impact of Torreira. Not a great improvement in form from Cech. Not a forward line of Aubam and Laca that makes defences unsure where to look.
It is all luck. So here we are, the lucky run…
| Date | Match | Res | Score | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 Aug 2018 | Arsenal v Manchester City | L | 0-2 | Premier League |
| 18 Aug 2018 | Chelsea v Arsenal | L | 3-2 | Premier League |
| 25 Aug 2018 | Arsenal v West Ham United | W | 3-1 | Premier League |
| 02 Sep 2018 | Cardiff City v Arsenal | W | 2-3 | Premier League |
| 12 Sep 2018 | Coventry City v Arsenal | W | 0-3 | League Trophy |
| 15 Sep 2018 | Newcastle United v Arsenal | W | 1-2 | Premier League |
| 20 Sep 2018 | Arsenal v Vorskla Poltava | W | 4-2 | Europa League |
| 23 Sep 2018 | Arsenal v Everton | W | 2-0 | Premier League |
| 26 Sep 2018 | Arsenal v Brentford | W | 3-1 | League Cup |
So that is seven in a row that we have won by my count. Ah say the nay sayers when they are not saying nay, you can’t count things like the League Trophy and the Europa and the League Cup because we didn’t play the full first team in those. But I say that it shows that we have some nifty reserves and can see off lowly opposition. After all we didn’t manage to do it with the reserves in the FA Cup last season.
It is not just a more powerful first team we have great backups as well.
Thus my view is that seven in a row is seven in a row, and brings confidence. And scoring 20 goals in those seven games bring forth a certain confidence too. When it is any team other than Arsenal it is called a “winning mentality”. When it is Arsenal it is called “you can’t count those games” and of course “their luck can’t hold forever.”
As for tody Watford are top of the league – when we count injuries – with eight all told although at least one of them will be available in the shape of Deeney. So if we win as I expect, it will all be down to luck.
Arsenal are ninth in the injury league from Physioroom.
| Who? | What he got | When back? | New | Can play? |
| S Papastathopoulos | Dead Leg | Sept 29 | “Now available for selection following right dead leg during Everton match last Sunday.” | Yes |
| K Mavropanos | Groin Strain | Oct 28 | “Expected to return to full training in by the end of October.” | No |
| A Maitland-Niles | Broken Leg | Oct 22 | “Progressing well and now expected to return to full training in early October.” | No |
| L Koscielny | Achilles Injury | Nov 25 | “Now working outside. Aiming to return to full training in November.” | No |
What the BBC says
“I don’t actually think much has changed about Arsenal under Emery – they are a good side, but they were a good side under Arsene Wenger, just not one of the best three teams in the country.
“As well as their good results, I like the look of Lucas Torreira in midfield, so there is lots to be encouraged about.” Ah so at least we may be allowed to be encouraged.
And here is another fun snip. We have not lost a Saturday 3pm kick-off at home in the league since losing to Villa in August 2013. That is a run of 18 wins and two draws. Now that is lucky.
Or let’s try another one. We have won 21 consecutive Premier League home fixtures against teams outside last season’s top five by an aggregate score of 62-11. Which means today it will be 3-0 or 3-1. We might let them have the one.
We will also score since we have scored in 34 of the last 36 league games at Arsenal Stadium. And we have the second most prolific scorer in the PL since the January transfer window. Only Salah with 16 has scored more than Auba (12).
It sure is amazing what luck can do for you.
- Arsenal v Watford: how Arsenal continue to win on pure luck
- Arsenal v Watford: a word from their boss, the results and the head to head
- Referee preview Matchweek 7 – The same ref twice in a month is utterly ridiculous
Morning, Tony… er, sorry – Bulldog.
Not wishing to invite calamity, as this is one of the rare games I shall be able to attend… BUT –
Who was the referee of that match v Aston Villa, in August 2013?
Remind me, who is the referee today?
@Maxwell,
Well remembered, a game where our erstwhile whistleblower was successful in his pitch tilting. The first Villa goal a penalty after their had been given an advantage and allowed to play on. They didn’t score so the whistle blew and Villa given a second chance from the penalty spot. Never in a million years would that chance have been given to Arsenal
A second penalty for a perfectly dood tackle by Koscielny who cleanly won the ball. Coupled with a yellow card. A second yellow card for a ‘phantom foul’. If there was a foul neither WALTER or anyone in the Emirates saw it.
What everyone in the stadium did see was a tackle by Vlaar to take out an Arsenal player. Now Vlaar was already on a yellow card and should have gone. He also fouled Wilshere in the Villa box but no penalty to Arsenal.
Yes it was one of the most one sided refereeing performances seen at the Emirates for which he should have been banned from football for life instead of getting a pat on the back from his masters.
Yes that game against Villa was not a sporting contest but an example of what the pgMOB in their own words and I quote describe as “theatre” and “game management”. There it is,
There’s a reason why Moss has never been given a top league game involving the arsenal, Taylor has no shame or self respect and I am expecting a harder contest against the twelve opponents for the Arsenal then the game against Everton plus Moss as the Arsenal pgMOB “handicap” will be slightly greater today.
< whereas we can observe the variance in the and forgive me for quoting the officials again, the "game management" of these jokers in cup final games, and that is the giveaway regarding their performances in the the league.