By Mahdi Khamis
WOW what a match.
Truth be told I’m over the moon at the moment and I am sure I am not the only one that went absolute mental when that second goal went in.
Not sure if words are enough to describe my man crush on Vermaelen. Did you see that run? That’s what is called passion and desire and it wasn’t only him. Remember when they told us we didn’t have desire, passion or fighting spirit? And our captain and vice captain scored in the same match not bad for a team that doesn’t have leaders eh?
And did I mentioned we made history by becoming the first team in PL era to come back from a goal down (or two in the case of the Tottenham game) to win in 4 consecutive matches? How`s that for team spirit and mental strength?
Now I’m not gonna go too deep about the match. Walter does that, and he is the best at that.
But before I proceed any further I would like to bring all your attention to this article I wrote two months or so back as this article is a follow up for that one. It was about spuds and why we didn’t need to worry about them too much
http://blog.emiratesstadium.info/archives/18007
Now when I wrote that article(13th January) the league table for top 4 race was looking like this
| # | TEAM | P | GD | PTS |
| 3 | Tottenham H | 20 | 18 | 45 |
| 4 | Chelsea | 20 | 14 | 37 |
| 5 | Arsenal | 20 | 8 | 36 |
| 6 | Liverpool | 20 | 6 | 34 |
| 7 | Newcastle | 20 | 4 | 33 |
There we were 9 points adrift our dear neighbours and while we were fighting for top 4 spot apparently they had become tittle contenders(LOL). Now how did things go after that? Well I’m gonna break it down for each team. I`ll get to us in a moment but lets start with the others first.
Liverpool
Well they won a trophy and are no longer our trophyless buddies …oh who am I kidding? Liverpool have been total shambles on and off the pitch. Their handling of Suarez saga was nothing short of disgrace and they have kept firing blanks and never really look that exciting as the media told us when they were spending stupid money.
And speaking Liverpool I wonder if Ollie Holt still stands by the comments he made on twitter after their fluke win against us? You know the one about that being a win for a club that has ambition and moved forward against the one that has no ambition and has moved backwards?
Liverpool`s form since hasn’t been that great. They have collected 5 points from 7 games with 1W 2D 4L and they currently sit in 7th 13 points from 4th and any of the top four hopes should be over. Luckily for them they have already qualified for Europa via the Carling cup or it would have been another season without Europe for the ambitious wise club.
Newcastle
I wont go too deep with them. They have been showing a bit of consistency though they did get hammerings from spuds (5-0) and fulham (5-2) and also got Verminated. During this time they have collected 11 points and their form is 3W 2D 3L and they sit in 6th with 44pts
Chelsea
Well they have been themselves. Roman decided to sack yet another manager and as usual its once the senior players that many blame for getting AVB sacked. Its such a shame as he really has great potential and I’m sure he will succeed at any other club he goes. Roman Abramovich has once again shown he has no football knowledge whatsoever and of course loves burning his own money considering how much it cost him to bring AVB to Chelsea in the first place.
On the pitch well Chelsea have collected 12 points and their form is 3W 3D 2L. They are still in top 4 contention so definitely need to keep an eye on.
Tottenham
Well well well look what we have here…if it isn’t our lovely neighbours. You know the one who have forever been in our shadows? The one who always say they`ll finish above us season in season out? The one and only Premier League entertainers and of course the media darlings.
Truth be told prior to when they came visiting they were being all cocky and telling us to mind the gap (which? Trophies? 51 years since they won the league, our 14 consecutive years in CL? or the new stadium?). Oh they were talking about the points gap and rightly so as it was 13 up to the 39th min of a certain game. What happened next? To quote Martin Tyler, “Tottenham do not know what hit em. Well I can tell you its Theo Walcott”. Okay actually Arsenal happened as we sent them down crashing to the ground and put them in their rightful place.
There was a lot of talk prior to the derby about the supposed power shift in North London and how spuds were now better than us and all of that sort. One Henry Winter had the audacity of writing an article saying that only RVP would start in spuds team and how the rest of their players are better than us. Surprised? Yes he did say Walker was better than Sagna. LOL at him. I don’t think I have to go on about that match as I am sure many of us still remember it as if it was yesterday and why shouldn’t we? It was our supposedly worst team in 15yrs vs their best in 50yrs.
In this time spuds have collected 8 points and no longer do they have that tittle contenders tag. Their form? They had started to lose ground before we mauled them but I can say it was us who triggered the slide. 2W 2D 4L and it really looks like their bubble is starting to bust. We can only hope the normality is continued to be restored and they continue to lose. Their one time 13 points gap has been now cut down to 1 point. Mind the gap? what gap? They better look out for their backs as we are coming for that 3rd spot.
Arsenal
Well we had a disastrous January where we didn’t pick up a single point. Things we not looking good and as you can imagine the AAA did what they do best by adding fuel to fire calling for the manager`s sacking and the usual phrases that we are all aware of them. Well January passed and February came and our fortunes changed.
We started getting players back from injury even though we had a major loss due to the BFG(Mertesacker) injury.
We drew at Bolton before mauling Blackburn, get a hard fought win at Sunderland and their pathetic pitch before giving the tinnies a lesson. Then we went to conduct a daylight robbery at Anfield before Verminating Newcastle and their pathetic hoofball and time wasting tactics.
5W 1D OL and 16pts not bad, not bad at all considering the awful start of the year we had.
The AAA have seem to shut up a little even though they did have their moments during this time after that defeat in Milan and their groundsmen and losing to Sunderland. One can only imagine they are sharpening their blades lurking with intent and waiting to pounce. I really do hope we don’t give them the chance to do so and continue with our great form and get that 3rd spot as it is vital for next season.
So where are we now in terms of the league table?
| # | TEAM | P | GD | PTS |
| 3 | Tottenham H | 28 | 18 | 53 |
| 4 | Arsenal | 28 | 18 | 52 |
| 5 | Chelsea | 28 | 16 | 49 |
| 6 | Newcastle | 28 | -1 | 44 |
| 7 | Liverpool | 27 | 4 | 39 |
We pretty much are in the driving seat for the 4th spot and to make things better 3rd is now in reach. However lets not get carried away just yet. I am sure PGMO still have something up their sleeves that could hurt us. There are City and Chelsea matches which Dowd will certainly be getting one of. I also worry that are gonna get him at least twice in the run in. Dreading the thought of that. We also have Probert who has emerged as a dark horse to succeed master Riley so I am sure he will do whatever it takes to enhance his CV.
Something also tells me we haven’t seen the last of Webb and Dean just yet even though they have already ref`d 4 matches for us each in the league this season. Disgusting when you think about it really. I mean getting refs for FIVE times in one season alone? The PGMO select pool has 18 refs and there are 38 matches which means we should be getting each ref twice which equals to 36 matches which means we should only be getting two refs for more than two times but alas that’s not the case because of the supposed “random” selection. Yeah right that would explain why we keep getting Dowd, Dean and Webb up to four times while the likes of Friend, Taylor and Jones are yet to ref any of our league matches this season. I`m sure refs will be a huge obstacle but as we have shown recently we can overcome and defeat them if we just refuse to let them screw us over and fight to the last.
But if we stick together and SUPPORT our team, providing a great atmosphere and NOT booing when things don’t go our way then we wont need to play any CL qualifiers next season as 3rd will be ours. Oh and don’t forget to make your preparations for St Totteringham`s day. Make no mistake about it as it is happening.
very good article i just love this website :i would love to add a point that I supported from the beginning Arsene Wenger where lot of fans were just writing who will succeed ? Mourinho , Benitez ? i say HELL NO ONE SHOULD REPLACE LE PROF . is there anybody out there who Love Arsenal more than Wenger ? i doubt he loves us 😀 i pay him all my respect. i agree with you Mahdi i am a fan from LEBANON , middle east 🙂 and i LOVE Arsenal and i am a BIG FAN and i always comment on this issue that no matter what happen to the team we should backing them , supporting them , Roaring and motivating them and right now i guess it happened we still have a lot this season didn’t finish yet we need to guarantee 3rd positon we have man city and chelsea we can’t drop points so i ask every Gooner to keep supporting their teams till the end .I am so proud of being a Gooner and proud to say it out-loud 😀
@legolas thanks for the compliments..
Nice stuff Mahdain. Do keep writing.
Its down to 1 point then. The AAA must be bitterly bitterly disappointed. We just need to keep going now; we tend to slack off when the job seems to be done at times. I think we’ll keep beating teams until we’re some 4 or 5 points clear of 4th place; then draw or lose a game or two but eventually end up in third place.
And surely for a team that lost its entire midfield before the season started and played with no full backs for nearly a month or two and an incompetent useless tactically naive manager…that is some achievement. Big big props AW and the team.
i love this club………………GUNNER FOR LIFE.
Hi,
I wonder if there is other clubs with the equivalent of “St Totteringham’day” in English football?
Author! Author!
So Glad to see your work posted. You write: “Something also tells me we haven’t seen the last of Webb and Dean just yet even though they have already ref`d 4 matches for us each in the league this season.” Yes, 5 times would be EXTRA-ordinary. Then again, lest we forget, there’s always Phil Dowd to come in, for appearance sake, to save face if not (a lot) worse. Mr. Dowd has not yet reached his well-understood damage-quota with us, but surely is on tap to do another service for his Don and the brotherhood.
Arvind,
Yes, and the case of “the lost plot” seems to have been solved – at least judging from the way that them two words have not been used together in the same sentence for a couple of weeks now (, ever since Richard Williams, lord of the (Manchester) Guardians’ football stenography department, last used it to try to kick Arsene to the curb after our defeat in leg one at Milan).
I think that PGMOL will be more interested in city rather than any other club at this time. Just thinking positive after three injury time winners. Let’s forget about them now and enjoy till we beat everton next Wednesday.
The problem of playing 3 games in 7 days with city has been solved as the Wigan game has been postponed after TV selection.
@arvind im glad you liked it and dont worry anytime i have something in my mind and time ill write 🙂
@bob yeah i agree i think dowd will get atleast 2 matches to screw us over but as i have written as long as we refuse to let him screw us over as we did with dean recently then i am sure we can defeat him
It is pretty clear the Manchester teams will finish 1-2 while London clubs will likely claim 3-4-5. Don’t think the PGMOL or FA cares which of the London clubs take 3-4. Besides, the damage has already be done to the Gooners. We will be trophy-less for another year which gives the media something to howl throughout the summer instead of praising the team for overcoming the loss of the player the team was built around (Cesc) to claim a CL spot.
@Arun, I agree with you – I think there the focus will be on ensuring City does not win the league.
Wooby,
You’re most probably right on the Manchester two-step. That said,
my bottom line thought is that “Arsenal’s Turnaround” can become The Story of the Season; and eclipse – in the public imagination – the all-too-predictable-and-mechanical-march to the Don Fergus’s Coronation as Lord Football (aka Rednose XX). Let the media have their “big story”; and let the public have ours – in the court room of public sentiment. Go Gunners!
Good work, Mahdain. I also feel that the despicable Probert is in Riley’s Hollywood group. His obnoxious performance at Fulham was both ridiculous and rehearsed. Who can forget his double teapot stance and the invented foul, after he got in the way of an attack? He is on the up for sure. Isn’t Dean due to retire soon? Fat Dowd isn’t as old as we hope. Last night’s effort was so amazing, inspite of H Webb. Fantastic Gunners!
if we get Webb for City, Web the United fan then that must be good. He hates us but he loves United more. if we beat city united win… Which means Webb will have to be pro arsenal for onces to make his darlings win…
I think its in everyones interest that we beat City, altest everyone that loves Uniteds interes, which is preatty much the entire ref pool…
@gulp i wouldnt put past it for us to get webb in that match..but im not sure if we actually want him.. i really hope we get clattenburg in one of the city/chelsea matches
Good analysis Mahdain. Lets hope the wheels really come off the Spuds and also Chelsea! Looking at the run ins, once the Spuds get past Chelsea they have a relatively easy fixture list – so that could be of concern – but if they are well demoralised by that stage they will drop points.
@bjtgooner thanks for the compliments..yeah spuds do have a relatively easy run in than us but how many times have we said that about ourselves and then see us doing bad? im sure this team can beat anyone as long as they play with the same passion they have been playing since start of february
@Mahdain
Agreed
lets take it easy lads, one match at a time 0.1 away to Everton, and 3-0 at home to Villa and then we can start to breathe a litle easier. Great performances yesterday and the boys are resting between games……
Excellent post, agree with your assessment of our rivals. Cannot take anything for granted yet, there is the possibility of an injury to a certain player, then there is the pgmol. We have mason against everton, not a man to help our cause. I expect Atkinson against Chelsea, let’s see if he shows any bias there, I also expect dowd against stoke, probert Webb and dean wherever they can screw us up for the umpteenth time. As for citeh, anyone with the agenda I imagine there is might like that one to end up in a draw.
I did think arry may get a few pgmol favours to sooth him into the England manager role, however I am rapidly coming to the conclusion the Fa do not want a tabloid driven manager who shows no apparent interest in developing youth, interesting to see how that situation pans out….
Mahdain:
Great article. It’s always interesting to look back and see how quickly times can change. I also liked the “historical” media info that you were able to throw in in that regard… Lol @ Ollie Holt.
By the way, after that goal yesterday, I think that I as well might have crush on Vermaelen…
Walter, the next time you see him, do you think you could slip him my phone number? 🙂
@mandy agreed.. Something stinks as i think its way too much coincidence that we got mason in a match against everton even after what happened last season.
As i said i fear we still have dowd to deal with in atleast two matches and probert is also due a match with us as he continued to please fergie and his masterclass display at fulham merits him another chance. Atkinson for chelsea would be a total disgrace the history and as far as stoke goes i think pgmol wont want to alert anyone and appoint the master of not seeing fouls mark halsey which would be a total disaster considering the rugby stoke play.
Odds are really stacked against us but we can overcome em
@anne hahaha im sure walter will oblige 🙂
As for ollie holt tweet i wouldnt leave that one out by any chance and i could write an article just based on it. Thing is holt is too easy to wind up. He spews so much shit it becomes almost impossible to ignore and when you own him he starts to throw all toys out of the pram.
Mahadain , nice article .I think that the refs that bow/bend to the powers above ,have started to ease off with us as they know that we cannot stop ManUre’s march to the title.Their work been done.
Their prime target is and will be Man Shitty .As for 3rd & 4th ,
Chelski and Arsenal would be the prefered choices as we usually do well in Europe to maintain the EPL status quo of 4 places.I’m not sure that they rate the Spuds or Newcastle (now that Liverpiddle are sliding and have booked their place in the Europa cup ).
I think that barring a disastrous end of season for Arsenal, Chelsea can forget about finishing fourth. The main fight for 4th place is between Arsenal and Chelsea, with Arsenal already 3 points up after both teams having played 28 games.
However, of the next 10 games, Chelsea have 5 games against what I would call the top 4 contenders. They play Arsenal, Man City and Liverpool away, and Tottenham and Newcastle at home. In addition, they also have to play Fulham and Aston Villa away, which can be tricky fixtures for them. So they have 7 out of 10 games coming up in which they can easily lose points.
Meanwhile, Arsenal only have 2 games left with big four opposition: Chelsea and Man City, and both are home ties. Given our recent run of form, I would be surprised if we don’t get at least 3 points from these two games. Hell, even a draw in both games would be a good result for us. In addition, we play Everton away and Stoke away which can be a bit tricky for us. We also play Aston Villa at home and relegation faced Wolves away, but these games should be manageable. So I don’t see more than 4 games out of 10 in which we may lose some points, a lot better position then Chelsea.
So in summary, I don’t see how Chelsea can finish above us, given their sequence of games to end the season. I would be delighted to see them drop of a CL place despite the corrupt Russians billion pound investment! Hell I would love Newcastle to somehow makeup the points and occupy the 4th place alongside Arsenal on 3rd, with the two Manchester teams inevitable finishing 1st and 2nd. That would be the perfect end of season for me!
@brickfield i wouldnt bet on that..we all know PGMO is always on our case no matter the circumstances..remember last season? Even when we were already out of the tittle race they continued screwing us until we ended up in 4th
@sammy yeah chelsea do have some tricky fixtures..villa and fulham always trouble em and im really hoping they lose vs mancity..as for our game against em as long as we dont get dowd/dean/probert/atkinson then im sure we will win that
It would appear that all the rubbishing of LFC had the same effect as all the rubbishing of Arsenal did. They played really well and won by three clear goals in a local derby.
Well I will be supprting my team Arsenal FC regardless who is ref. If we are good enough we can win, and if we turn up we can beat anyone. Maybe this season will galvanize this new team AW built and with some added depth, we can challenge again like we used to. I want UTD to win it if not us as the rest are just come lately and when the billionaires leave it will all come crashing down, leaving Arsenal to pick up the pieces (pieces of trophies!) anyway everton play FA Cup qtr final, so hopefully it’s a hard taxing fight and are tired and battered to play us hard.
But if we are good enough we will do it, if not thrn damn there is always next season with Le Prof and no one else. Added bonus will be all the AAA go on a big bonding holiday to brain storm how to get AW out, but the plane crashes and they all die! Poops to harsh?
Spuen!