WBA – Arsenal 0-1: Mission accomplished

Posted on by WalterBroeckx

By Walter Broeckx

The weekend after European football is always a difficult weekend. And certainly when you have the honour of being chosen for the early kick off on Saturday after having played on Wednesday evening. A match that we had to play against one of the top teams in Europe. Well it was before we kicked the match off on Wednesday evening. A team praised highly and a manager even more.

But it was a match that cost a lot of energy. And a few injuries. And so with just a bit more than 48 hours between our match we had to start our match at WBA. Despite our good record we never have an easy match at their ground. On a few occasions we had to dig deep and had to fight hard for the points.  I hoped we would score an early goal and then score another before half time. My big worry was that at the end of the match we would feel the midweek match and get tired.

A few changes in the starting line up. Gibbs was given a short rest. Oxlade-Chamberlain was also given a rest after his strong performances lately. Giroud played for the injured Sanogo and Flamini came on for the injured Arteta.

Monreal started at left back but got injured after some 15 minutes. Koscielny started for the first time since the Chelsea match. An attack with Alexis, Welbeck and Giroud something we hadn’t seen before.

The game started rather flat with a small chance for Alexis but Foster with the save. WBA got a few good opening minutes and kept the ball a bit but never came close to Martinez.

Arsenal got a few chances in the first half but the shooting of Cazorla was always ending up to close to Foster in the WBA. Weather he tried power or finesse the little Spaniard couldn’t beat Foster. Giroud stole the ball from Foster but the angle from where he had to shoot wasn’t favourable for a left footed player and so the ball passed the goal. Maybe he could have run a bit with the ball and then tried a shot. Foster would have had no other chance then to bring him down and causing a penalty and a red card but the instant shot was taken and missed.

Arsenal dominated the game completely by then. Welbeck with a great chance but again Foster could stop the goal bound effort with a great block. Ramsey with a shot that went centimetres past the goal post. After a while it resembled a bit like the Manchester United match. Complete dominance but nothing to show for on the scoreboard.

WBA couldn’t get a shot on goal in the first half and that is saying something about the way we played. We had enough chances to score but the only bad thing was (again) we couldn’t finish them.

The second half was more of the same. Arsenal dominating and WBA was like playing a park the bus match in front of their home supporters.  A bit of a let off for us when Berahino was flagged offside but wasn’t. Hey, a wrong decision going our way and Untold mentioning it. By the way around that time a statistic was shown on my TV saying that WBA had zero shots and Arsenal some 10 by then.

Then Arsenal had a few chances but the shot from Ramsey went over, Welbeck setting up Ramsey but his shot was blocked and the shot from Cazorla also couldn’t get past a defender. And minutes later a free kick was spilled by Foster but the rebound from Mertesacker was heading towards the away Gooners. Come on score that goal was the feeling. And then Berahino also escaped a bit later but could only find the side net.

Arsenal replied with a good action on the left and a good cross from Gibbs but Cazorla was to small and Pocognoli could just stop Alexis from heading it in.

But then finally we got what we deserved. Santi Cazorla who is back to his best form finally steamed past everyone on the left flank and his cross was aimed at Welbeck. Welbeck rose up high above everyone and his firm header was unstoppable for Foster. He did try to palm it out but the header was just too hard and ended up against the back of the net.

Finally! 0-1 to the Arsenal.

We then held on the ball for a while and were looking to be smart most of the time. We kept it calm and didn’t rush forward with too many players. It seemed to me that most players did notice their defensive duties. Oxlade-Chamberlain came on for Giroud who had a good match for a first start since so long and was his usual himself when making life difficult for defenders.

And then came what I feared a bit before the match in case we still would be in reach of WBA. And only being 0-1 is very much in reach. Tired legs, deliberately going for a more defensive approach probably a combination of both but we retrieved our players around our own penalty area.

And thus WBA got a few chances and the best one was for Berahino who headed against the cross bar and then Koscielny could clear.  We are the Arsenal and so no win without a scare to our supporters must have been the thought of the players on the field.

Arsenal had a few chances to break but couldn’t really get going properly. WBA piled up the pressure and even Foster joined in when corners or free kicks were taken. But most of the time Martinez ruled well in his penalty area and stopped all that could be stopped and looked rather calm and assured.

Despite the late pressure of WBA we held on to the lead and got valuable 3 points at a ground where we usually get them but never after an easy match.

An important 3 points and good to see the team being able to build on the Dortmund performance and get another win.

The books for Christmas

 

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128 Replies to “WBA – Arsenal 0-1: Mission accomplished”

  1. A highly competent performance as you imply, Walter.

    Santi Cazorla was magnificent, yet again…………welcome back,my son.

    A well deserved 3 points, whatever the media say.

  2. “Maybe he could have run a bit with the ball and then tried a shot. Foster would have had no other chance then to bring him down and causing a penalty and a red card but the instant shot was taken and missed.”

    It should be “Maybe he could have run a bit with the ball and then tried a shot. Foster would have had no other chance then to bring him down and causing a penalty and a red… But then Foy (and PGMO) would not give neither the penalty nor the red cards, and some on here would tell us that it was ok again for them not to.”

  3. Did cazorla play a through pass to himself before he assisted the goal? Man I was afraid Welbeck would hit a plane passing when he jumped, but thank God he returned with a head and a goal!

  4. On Talk Sport we had the benefit of Bobby Gould’s brain power. The game over we got this gem from Bobby bless him.

    ‘Arsene must learn how to win games 1-0.’

  6. Walter

    Good write up.

    I watched on BT sport.

    Don’t think I heard the commentators mention the possibility of fatigue following our midweek CL efforts once, even when it was obvious we where looking tired, not once.

  7. Walter, please what’s this issue of a banner at the stadium about. Watched on Sky but didn’t see any banner. Checked arsenal.com and realised Wenger ignored the question. Just want to know what its all about for curiosity sake.
    Great performance today. Onwards and Forward.

  8. I think the banner said something like “Arsène thanks for the memories but its time to go”.

  11. How easy it was to produce scape-goats and how readily they were accepted! This was especially true when the alternative was to find yourself either guilty or stupid or both.
    Frank Herbert “Heretics of Dune”

  12. @ Kenneth Widmerpool -November 29, 2014 at 4:39 pm -How exactly did they ‘go’? Are there steep cliffs near West Brom ? Did they use black bags on their heads and black scarves ?

  14. One should forgive one’s enemies, but not before they are hanged.
    Heinrich Heine

    Real friendship is shown in times of trouble; prosperity is full of friends.
    Euripedes

    The happiest people seem to be those who have no particular cause for being happy except that they are so.
    William Ralph Inge

  15. colario -November 29, 2014 at 5:09 pm – He he he !

    Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake.
    Napoleon Bonaparte

  16. Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.
    Santayana

    As a rule, men worry more about what they can’t see than about what they can.
    Julius Caesar

    Real knowledge is to know the extent of one’s ignorance.
    Confucius

    An optimist sees an opportunity in every calamity; a pessimist sees a calamity in every opportunity.
    Winston Churchill

    The truth is the only one thing that nobody will believe.
    George Bernard Shaw

    Goodnight ,guys , its has been fun as usual !

  18. Never knew the banner is all about that. Some people are ingrates. Thakpnk goodness they know Wenger has given them good times but is their way now the best way to repay him?
    I now so much respect Wenger’s words about it today.

  19. Quincy

    Thanks for the link.

    What an endorsement of Wenger’s genius that is.

    The problem is, thanks to the media and the AAA types, the negativity around all those transfers is still engrained in the ‘phsyci’ of those that wish to discredit Wenger, as well as a lot of those that sadly know no better.

    But time has proved Wenger to be an incredible judge of a players status.

    The truth is, many of his critics, both past and long gone, and present but should of gone, are not fit to lick Wengers boots.

  20. Good performance and great 3 points. Nice write up too, happy and positive with no misery or attempts at supporter division- until we get to the comments

  21. JohnShaft,

    Be the change you seek by not posting divisive comments here, go to other blogs without supporter division or set up your own blog.

  23. I watched the last 15 minutes of the first half of the Sunderland-Chelsea game. Chelsea getting away with a lot of small fouls (surprise surprise), and Costa kicked out at a Sunderland player who fouled him with both feet, and no card shown from Mr Friend (surprise surprise).

    Never ceases to amaze (or should I say disgust) me how much Chelsea under Mourinho gets away with.

  24. Quincy

    Relating to that incident:

    SKY commentator.

    “It was a bad foul on Costa, so I can understand why he kicked out.”

    A) It wasn’t a bad foul

    B) So even if it was, that makes it alright then?

    Perfect example of how our beloved media (and Referees) treat Chelsea compared to us.

  26. JohnShaft,

    You are the first to post a divisive comment while whining about division, you bloody hypocrite.

    Mocking the name of those you disagree with shows the sophistication of your intellect.

  27. I realise what I typed in the comment at 6:24pm may be mis-leading: it was a small foul on Costa, and Costa kicked at the Sunderland player with both feet.

    Agree about the commentators, jambug. Also, it seems to me they only show replays of potential fouls on Chelsea players, we didn’t get to see most of the replays of fouls on Sunderland players that weren’t called. Can’t violent play like that from Costa get a straight red even?

  29. Boo boo. I wont be reading or answering your abusive comments anymore. If as it seems, you are incapable of debating like an adult in a civilised society without resorting to namecalling, you are not worth another breath of air or a second of my time.

  30. johnshaft stop teasing BOO BOO he’s not mature enough for banter – just got back from WBA solid performance from the lads who all worked hard – if Im honest i thought the blend of Giroud and Welbeck didnt relly click but its the first time and it was at least a positive attempt by the manager playing 2 forwards – Santi was superb but Sanchez not suprisingly Sanchez looks tired .
    We wernt really flowing but good 3 points – shame also about more injuries .

  31. JohnShaft,

    Get off your high horse, retard. At least I have the courtesy to address you by your screen name.

    You want to moan about the comments of others without specifically addressing those whose comments you found divisive but act butt hurt about being called out. Just grow up and learn to live in the real world.

  32. 4evered,

    Banter is the favourite excuse of bigots. If you call someone a pet name (as you once claimed) and they object with reason, a non-bigot will desist.

    You and your BFF are type that give humanity a bad name.

  33. 4evered

    I’m sooo pleased you thought it was “a good 3 points”

    I think I speak for all of us here on UT when I say, just knowing you are happy makes it all worth while.

    You are such a legend.

  34. 4evered. He is the genius who claims to support Arsenal for our values- the writes an article suggesting we tell our ST holders to F-off. I feel sorry for those who live with his abuse

  35. @ Bootoomee, man let those Adults in the room spread their wisdom (NYAack!!!)
    They will get bored and leave here in the end.

    Anyway lets celebrate how Mo ( who knows no sh*t about tactics), lost two points (lucky not to lose whole 3) against Sunderland, specially when he did his usual stupid ( but surely must be praised) subs that lost him the control of the game which his team was in control of. Sunderland were on the back foot trapped in their penalty box, and then booom, this Genius with 2 subs and Sunderland holds the ball more and are more dangerous. Had they, Sunderland, not been afraid to go one more man forward, they could have ended the game with 3 pts.

    Am just showing how this manager is praised all the time Vs. ours by the media and pundits. and it shows they know nothing of this football tactics.

  36. Walter, a good report and a good win for the team.

    Well done the team – also, it was interesting to see Welbeck & Giroud up front together.

    The subsequent efforts of a few AAAA/trolls/twits on this site to share their misery with everyone else is rather pathetic.

  37. bjtgooner

    Along with Boo AL and all the rest, we can deal with the numpties.

    Onwards and upwards.

    The title, I believe is beyond us, but 2nd spot is ours for the taking.

    COYG

  40. @Jambug,
    Not too sure that Chelsea aren’t catchable.
    We picked up two points on them today!

  41. Mandy Dodd

    Lovely.

    Lets hope a few more like that are unfurled against Southampton to show the b’s who where true Gooners really stand !!

  42. Bootoomee
    November 29, 2014 at 7:20 pm
    4evered,

    Banter is the favourite excuse of bigots

    how brilliant that you choose a term of abuse which perfectly sums you up

    bigot
    ˈbɪɡət/
    noun
    a person who is intolerant towards those holding different opinions.

  43. Nicky

    I hope you are right my friend but as much as I like a bet (and I did have a few quid on us just before the Swansea game) I really think Chelsea and friends are beyond us, despite the 2 points dropped today.

    But as they say, never say never !!

  44. jambug
    November 29, 2014 at 7:21 pm
    4evered

    I’m sooo pleased you thought it was “a good 3 points”

    I think I speak for all of us here on UT when I say, just knowing you are happy makes it all worth while.

    You are such a legend.

    cheer up sonny we won and thanks for being humble enough to talk for everyone on UT –

  46. Jambug those 3 points against the saints could be massive in the context of the season. I know at least some will claim it is only 3 points, but that shows a failure to see the bigger picture and lack of understanding due to their simplicity.

  47. The twitter pic you sent Mandy was excellent to see!
    Nice message Jambug mate 🙂 Always great to see your posts.
    I reckon you might be right Nicky re catching Chelsea, certainly a team beating them will throw them out of kilter.But we need to get our heads down and keep getting the three points.Good to see Santi on fire today and Kos pulling things together again.
    Onwards and upwards!
    COYG! aha and amen!

  49. Johnshaft

    Sorry mate but I’m a Bit confused?

    Could be my fault.

    My nags won HIC.

    Arsenal won HIC HIC

    Mrs Jambug forgot how to say no. HIC HIC HIC 🙂

  50. JohnShaft

    We all have slightly different points of view on details but love Arsenal as a whole – however the intolerance and down right abuse displayed by some posters on here is pathetic .

  52. Nice balanced match report Walter.

    Arsenal play will improve once they can concentrate on the Premier League, without the distraction of midweek Champions League football for few months.

    A routine of training ground, rest and recovery will help this team develope into its potentail.

  53. 4evered

    “however the intolerance and down right abuse displayed by some posters on here is pathetic.”

    Show me it !!!

  54. 4evered,

    Disagreement is not intolerance. You may need to have another look at your dictionary for the meaning of a rather mundane word. I strongly disagree with you but I am not intolerant of you. Even at the hottest moments in our arguments, I have never insulted you by not using your screen name. You crossed the line into bigotry when you insist on addressing me by a name that I have made clear I don’t with REASON.

    Bigotry isn’t just about intolerance of those you disagree with. That must be the 3rd or 4th meaning with mocking people by their skin colour/hair colour/name etc coming before.

    If you aren’t a bigot then stop mocking my name or defending those who do. It’s not banter if the person you’re bantering with objects.

  56. Jambug was just thinking about the CWC run in 1980 how much did you pay the final ticket?

  57. Bootoomee

    JohnShaft,

    Get off your high horse, retard

    you need the stop living in glass houses

  58. 4evered

    I have looked and I cant see what you are talking about.

    Cut and paste all the abuse that is upsetting you so much and then I’ll know what you are talking about. Simple really.

  60. Disagreement is not intolerance. You may need to have another look at your dictionary for the meaning

    intolerance
    [in-tol-er-uh ns] Spell Syllables
    Examples Word Origin
    noun
    1.
    lack of toleration; unwillingness or refusal to tolerate or respect contrary opinions or beliefs

    Wow its you again !

    as for your cloth eared attempt to make this into something more sinister thats really beneath contempt – maybe when you grow up we can talk again ?

  61. Bootoomee

    You are quite right, banter when applied in a demeaning manner can indeed be the uttering of a person with discriminatory or bigoted intent.

    4evered seems a right twerp, but his purpose is not to come across as a nice person – even if he was capable of doing so – looks like yet another self opinionated troll.

  62. 4evered,

    I appreciate your using my name. It’s not being on a horse to ask for decency in respecting what people want to be called. I don’t know why it seems like that to you but thanks anyway.

  63. Quincy

    But as I said earlier, the primary LIVE broadcaster in the UK said,

    “considering the bad foul on him, what Costa did was understandable”

    No hour long inquest. No condemnation. No suggestion that Chelsea should YET AGAIN of been down to 10 men.

    Just excuses

    Pathetic.

    But hay, ask AB, Fred, 4evered, Johnshaft et el and all’s well in the PGMOL World !!

  64. jambug
    November 29, 2014 at 8:40 pm
    4evered

    sorry Jambug my mistake let me clear it up – Im not interested in what your asking – I gave you my opinion if you dont like it dont read it .

  66. Jambug,

    He’s got nothing. He would happily trawl the entire Untold archive if he has a point. JohnShaft made a claim that’s just not false but tarring every commenter on the thread with the same feather. I think it’s easier and more honest to address posters whose comments you consider divisive individually rather than just making a blanket unsubstantiated claim about multiple posters on a thread.

  69. 4evered

    By the way, don’t feel too embarrassed because you cant answer a simple question. I asked Fred one about 6 hours ago and he’s as cowardly as you are.

  70. 4evered

    your last 2 posts:

    1) “sorry Jambug my mistake let me clear it up – Im not interested in what your asking – I gave you my opinion if you dont like it dont read it .”

    2) “you got me Sherlock LOL”

    yes, I think I have !!!

  71. 4evered

    It’s actually 10 hours since Fred disappeared without answering a simple question.

    Please don’t be so evasive.

    I mean all I asked is what’s upset you so much.

    Cut and paste rather than sarcasm would be wonderful !!

  72. The purpose of the troll is to find some form of twisted self gratification by causing disruption or believing they can cause harm or misery.

    4evered seems a particularly deluded troll, hopefully he will get himself binned soon.

    We should enjoy the pleasure of a good win today and try to leave this twerp to the site administrators – he has been tolerated for quite a while and his time must be nearly up.

  73. Walter, your summery of the game and your fears are exactly as what went on, and any true supporter will agree!!

    As for the Trolls who frequent here; they shouldn’t be surprised that many of us PROECT what we love (no matter what).

    If the abuse/criticize what we love, they too should expect all the abuse we can hurl at them!!

  74. jambug
    November 29, 2014 at 9:14 pm
    4evered

    It’s actually 10 hours since Fred disappeared without answering a simple question

    not really sure what your wittering on about but anyway if we rewind – I posted my experience of attending the game today At Westbrom did you go ?

    I praised the team for a hard earned 3 points as Walter did in his report – but you thought you would be clever and funny and show off to all your Untold buddies and and the piss – so i dont ned lectures from you about sarcasm – im here to talk about the team Arsenal but if you want to get personal thats fine .

  75. oh and now i must be banned for what ? not following the party line – but other posters can make references to ” RETARDS” etc and nothing is said ?really bjt do what you like .

  76. bjtgooner

    I have tried to engage Fred and 4evered with logical argument.

    Fred, who was posting on average every 20 minutes disappeared completely after I posed him a question.

    NB: Please don’t think I’m saying it was down to me but WTF, just answer the question.

    4evered, whenever challenged with logic, sound argument, and a question, just resorts to sarcasm.

    Surely if these people are only here to agitate without reason or debate then surely they should be binned.

    But that is for the powers that be.

  78. 4evered

    Not the old ‘I went to the game’ shit.

    you get sadder and more desperate every post.

  79. Jambug calm down its not my fault you didnt go – i just metioned it as part of my match experience but of course you knew that – you know everything .
    you started this bullshit when you spoke on behalf of all on untold to show everyone how clever and funny you are – so you going wednesday ? lol

  80. Jambug Im almost scared to ask you about the game lest you run me through with your cutlass wit again but anyway did you think we played well ?

  81. @jambug

    You will not get any logic out of 4evered – he is not here for logic. His purpose is disruption.

  82. bjtgooner.

    I know.

    Apart from crying over being called a ‘retard’, his accusation of “down right abuse” (@ 8:16) has still to be substantiated.

    As I said, I’m not holding my breath.

    But at least he want to the game, so that’s all right then.

  83. Calling someone a retard is beyond disgusting and there is no excuse for it.
    People who use this term on public internet forums should be banned.
    Revolting, pathetic and shameful desperation.

    As for the game, thought we closed it out properly, under real pressure from the home side. That was refreshing. Still nowhere near as clinical as we should be but we scored and shut them out, away from home.
    Thought the banner was a bit classless to be honest.
    Mertesacker and Cazorla had their best games of the season today I thought.

  84. GoonerDave

    I concede ‘retard’ isn’t pleasant, but given the level of depravity expressed on internet forums it’s not the end of the World.

    You know as well as I do it’s not meant in its literal term, but rather as a means of ‘insult’. Either way I concede it’s not pleasant, but if you really want to find out what ‘unpleasant’ is can I suggest a day at Le Grove, which is where the likes of 4evered are more at home.

  86. Thanks for the match report Walter.
    Congratulations Arsenal.
    I think,I finally figured out what Arsenal need in order to win games, me not watching them play 🙂
    I miss Dortmund and West Brom games and we win both.
    Hope we can go on a good run now.

  87. You shouldn’t try to justify it. There is no excuse.
    The term you used is up there with the very worst things you can say on a forum, and whats more, makes a mockery of people who are unable to defend themselves.
    You insinuated that anyone who has a problem with being called a retard should “grow a pair” – I would suggest that a real man would simply admit fault and move on with the notion that he wont use the term again. Instead of trying to justify it. You cant.

  88. Somehow, to calm things down, I’d like to read a catering report from the Hawthorns.
    Not one of these mystery pies, but the Midlands version of simple egg and chips.
    (which reminds me that at breakfast this a.m. I had a double yolk egg with my bacon!). 😉

  89. jambug
    November 29, 2014 at 10:48 pm
    GoonerDave

    I concede ‘retard’ isn’t pleasant,

    I accept your apology but I agree with Goonerdave there’s no excuse for it .

    And I see you knew the answer all the time to the question you were asking – in relation to ” down right abuse ”

    “You know as well as I do it’s not meant in its literal term, but rather as a means of ‘insult’

    see we got there in the end – nite

  90. God I do feel sorry for Mrs Boot and Mrs Jambugs must be a dogs life married to those two miserable sods

  94. I would like to congratulate the BBC’s editing team who have managed to turn a game dominated by The Arsenal into a 50-50 looking game. Bravo.

  95. Really? Calling someone a retard is beyond disgusting, revolting, pathetic and shameful? Christ, try not to be so over-dramatic

  98. Ah – a group of sanctimonious trolls tonight – obviously very disappointed that the team won. What a sad group of unfortunates, who cannot be happy unless everyone else seems miserable.

  100. Sorry i didnt mean to add fuel to the argument, i just thought that that comment was a bit over the top.

    Anyway, great win for the Arse today :)! Apparently there is another THREE injuries after todays game. Can we please for fuck sake just make it past a couple games without at least one person getting injured?! I genuinely dont think there will ever be a time where we have all 11 of our first time choices playing together. At least we have a lot of quality to take the place of these injured players.

    The future is bright :D!

  101. Great result, great report by Walter.

    And great banner link from Mandy – that cheered me up after Match of the Day giving publicity to the negative one at the match. Glad Arsene refused to talk about it.

    Onward and upward the Gunners!

  102. Offtopic:
    Long time since I commented…but I had to.

    Didn’t know Phil Hughes was a gooner : ( … makes that all the more worse. Surely, there can be few things worse in life… than dying doing what you love. You fight all your life to get something and then its gone. I hope cricket becomes a safer sport (it is but guess can improve) after this.

    We’re so lucky that football is a safe sport and Arsenal is a protected team. We never have broken legs or injuries or people kicking us. Oh wait.

    One day someone will kick someone in football and something serious will happen. Then something might change. Maybe. Or then again… it might not.

    In other news… “Don’t feed the trolls”

  104. By all accounts, a very freak accident Arvind…..unlike most of those that befall our players, many of them premeditated.
    As for cricket, guess they can modify helmet design though not sure how. Just been reading that an Israeli umpire also killed a couple days ago after being hit on the head by a ball.

  105. Pat, think wenger handled that one perfectly, as he did his riposte to Usmanov before the BVB game. His fighting words before that clearly rubbed off on the players

  107. We have been talking about banners of a different sort being put up; the ones having a go at PGMOL, and banners demanding fair play from refs!!!

    Its shocking that these AAA lot are so much more motivated to district the club by putting up anti-Arsene banners.

  108. Interesting to note that Super Chelsky managed to put 2 goals playing at home against a 10 men (from the 28th minute) WBA side!!

  111. They will dig up any stick to hit us with.

    Also, I am not sure any more that our defence is the issue, I am starting to believe that it is our attack who is letting us down.

  113. If some of the moaners cannot moan about the points dropped they moan about people who don’t want to moan and when all and everyone is moaning they just add a bit more moaning to their moaning so that at the end nobody even is thinking about the fact that we are on a football blog but instead we are on the Untold Moaning blog a blog where moaners can moan and moan and moan.

    Moan over.

  114. That is three good points in the bag. WBA are always capable of getting a result at home against the top 4 teams.
    I have to say I like the look of Martinez. Seems like a good shot stopper and is commanding on crosses . I don’t think the team played particularly well but it’s a clean sheet again… Very important for confidence.
    There is a run of games coming up where we could actually gain a lot of ground…
    On a side issue, did anyone else watch in amazement as Costa only got a yellow for a deliberate arm to the face of an opponent? He actually swung his arm backwards to make contact. He also kicked out at an opponent earlier in the game . Amazing what money can buy you eh?

  115. Jammy J

    It most certainly is a revolting comment. If you cant see that, then it is you who have the problem.

    Very, very disappointing that the people who run this blog seemingly have no problem with it either.
    Obviously I was mistaken – apparently we can say whatever we like as long as we don’t insult the manager.
    Classless comments like that should be ridiculed and punished, regardless of the stance of the posters.

  116. Usually a narrow away win can be a platform for continuous consistency. Giroud and Kos brought a lot to the team in the win. Our defending in corners are more accomplished with them. Two unstoppable defensive players, one up and one down will encourage and motivate the team more. With the sooner or later addition of Ozil, Walcott and Diaby, the team will progress. I wonder what is Arsene’s first team when all the players are available. That genius brain of his intrigues me all the time. None of us can really catch his vision.

  117. Untold Moan dukebox…

    Moan over darling (Doris Day)
    Moanin’ (Art Blakey)
    moaning on over (Hank Williams)
    I did it moan way (Frank Sinatra)
    Moanarchy for the UK (sex pistols)
    Moan Town ( the Specials)
    Dont moan back in angora ( Eddie Wood and the plan 9 sphyncter beings from outer space)
    Moaning and groaning (Duane Eddie)
    Suite moany blue eyes, (Crosby , Stills, Nash and Willie Young)
    Moaner from the black leather lagoon( the cramps)
    Moaning hell, its Fred Titmus( Half man Half Biscuit)

    + the whole back catalogue from the Smiths/ Morrissey.

  119. well I spent yesterday in London, missed the game as I was at an exhibition then missed MOTD because I went to watch boxing in the East End, so thanks Walter for your match report. Very pleased with the win and the clean sheet, lets hope the injuries aren’t too bad. Amy Laurence rubbish the point of the banner yesterday, too late the crisis was last week. Its a minority and that’s what the BBC pundits agreed today. Idiots making trouble but will make no difference to Arsene, Gazidis or Silent Stanley

    A word to Bootoomee, 4evered and everyone else who uses abusive words on this feed, please stop it. When you bandy words like ‘retard’ ‘idiot’ and worse it simply means I switch off from your argument. I thought you purported to be intelligent individuals with an opinion you’d like us all to hear. If you act like teenagers in the playground then frankly that is how I and others will perceive you.

  120. Thanks for the balanced and accurate report Walter, more so for the headline – “mission accomplished”, and it was. We had a mission – we HAVE a mission – to get back on track. It takes time. It takes time because that’s they way it is with confidence and feeling. It is not an instant thing.

    We started the season a lot better than what we had to endure for the past 3 weeks, give or take. The turning point (for the worse) was the Anderlecht home match, when we somehow gave away a 3 goal lead against an inferior side, at home. It began with an offside decision going the wrong way but then again the rest of that result lies with our players and not the ref.

    And last weekend Manure at home was another example of playing much better than a very shitty opposion and not getting a result. And we turned it around midweek and kept on the general direction against WBA yesterday.

    HOWEVER

    The same way one bad result (or two, or even three) is not to say that all is doomed and we are all lost and Wenger home and bla bla bla; so one (or two) good results are not enough for me to say we are back. We are on the right track, for sure; Kos is just so important for our game, he contribution and him completing Per is amazing; one is tall, a reader of the game, maybe not so fast, but nontheless a defensive leader; the other is of average height, but quick, both running wise and in sticking out a leg when needed. Together they are truly special.

    Also Giroud coming back was just heart warming. He is such a great player and contributes so much to our game. I suspect that Alexis will need to adjust to playing with him (remember the beginning of our season it was difficult for him a bit) and he will adjust, for sure. He was not making the right runs and passes for Giroud and did not utilize Giroud’s pivotal role as someone who enables the second line to advance.

    And for sure all those damn injuries… enough already!

    ps

    I know I kindov promised Ramsey to turn back to his old self, and sadly he didn’t. I maintain he is still one of (if not THE) most talented footballer in our squad; almost a perfect footballer. The problem this year is the decision making, and I just hope that he somehow get what he needs to get back to the Ramsey of last season – the sooner the better.

    COYG

  121. The problem with Ramsey this season is that since he had such an excellent goal-scoring run last season, this time around he is trying too hard to score goals. Once he stops trying to force it i believe that goal-scoring will naturally come back into his game and he will once again become one of the best players in our squad. Thats not to say hes doing bad atm, but to reach the lofty heights of last seasons performances he just needs to calm down a bit. Once him and Wilshere properly click when playing together, i feel that they can become a formidable midfield duo on level with the likes of Xavi and Iniesta.

  122. @ Jammy well I know what you wrote is what they write on all the other blogs but I beg to differ.

    It is easy to see that his numbers might support what you are saying (less tackles and interceptions) but this is not it, in my opinion. The lower numbers in those areas are a result of his general game and I don’t think he is “trying to hard” to score.

    From what I see, he has developed a characteristic which was not something he used to do and frankly it’s not something he needs to be doing. Mainly, it’s holding back tempo. Remember Cesc? He had this movement, of receiving the ball, going a bit forward, then a bit backwards, then a bit to the left, and voila, he created some space for himself with that movement. That space usually meant he could make 2 steps forward and send a through ball or a lofted pass to someone in a much forward position. We see Santi doing it for us; he was brilliant yesterday with this space-creation, and sometimes he combines it with a little 1-2 pass to get past another midfielder. It works for some players, no doubt. The problem is that Ramsey is doing that A LOT, and he is not using this space creation techinique to go forward; but rather to pass it backwards afterwards. It gets our flow off the right track; it serves no purpose; it’s not HIM. He is capable of taking on the next midfieleder, as he is a much more powerful athlete than Cesc or Santi. He is capable of sending a killer ball instantly (which he did on 2 occassions yesterday even though it didn’t work out well in the end). But for some reason, more likely than not, when he receives the ball he takes his time and slows down. That’s my main observation.

  123. I donno Tommie; from what i have seen that have been many opportunities where there was the option for him to make a simple pass and instead he went with the shot and missed. I hate to agree with most the other blogs because i dont agree with a large amount of what they say, but in this instance i believe them to be correct. Wenger even says the same thing. Im not saying this his all round play is bad, just that i believe he needs to stop forcing shots and going for the simple pass instead.

  125. blacksheep,

    Take your own advice on freedom of expression. If I think that a comment is idiotic, moronic or retarded, I would be sacrificing my freedom of speech by not saying so. Freedom of expression has no clause about being nice or civil. Unless one is breaking the law in their expression (e.g. hate speech), I have no problem with them expressing it and I can always rebut them in kind if I think it’s worth it. If my comments offends you, scroll past it. It’s what I do to most posts anyway.

    Telling people off the way you usually do is condescending and a promotion of censorship.

  126. @Mandy

    I fully agree, Arsene has handled all the provocations with his usual intelligence. I think emphasizing mutual support, loyalty, and that criticism should be made to a person’s face inside the organization was exactly the right answer to Usmanov.

  127. Stagnation. Hmmmmmm. Well, during that time which other teams stayed with us inside the top 4 constantly???……

    None.

    City have come up recently.
    Chelsea, remember 6th.
    Tiny tots, need I say.
    ManUtd, least season.
    Liverpool. Ppfff…

    None. Please define stagnation please.

  128. Finsbury – One swallow and the cock is a rooster. The Metro & their plank aka Peter Wood thinks that the Spuds will repeat their lucky win. Everton were robbed by PGMO just as Aguero was carded by a cheat for a dive.

    The truth is the cock will still shit on the shed in the lane.

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