By Walter Broeckx
When I was doing my match report of the match against the tiny totts something strange happened. Now I must explain a bit how I do my match reports. I start before the match with the teams and then just type things that I see or that I think are important to mention about the match as it unfolds itself in front of my eyes on TV (if I’m lucky) or on my laptop. So in a way it is a life report.
Now when I see the match on my laptop I open two windows and so can watch with one eye while I type things down. But on my TV this is impossible as I have to look in different angles. So when I watch it on TV on our Flemish sports channel called Play Sports I put the sound very low. But still hard enough to being able to hear the match commentator.
Because when writing things down I then turn up my internal hearing ability and try to listen to hear his voice going up as that usually means there is something going on, on the field. So in fact when I type something I listen to the commentator and when I just watch I just ignore the voice of the match commentator. I’m pretty good at times in ignoring hearing what people say. Well that is what my wife tells me from time to time.
Anyway, in the second half with Arsenal being 0-1 down I was typing something and then suddenly I heard the match commentator starting to talk about the managers from our local rivals during the Wenger years.
And to my surprise he then started to talk about the fact that Tony mentioned in his article before the match. That only good old Arry has managed to beat Wenger more than once. And that if the score stayed at 0-1 this would be Pochetino who would enter that list. It was as if our match commentator was actually reading out Tony’s article, be it in Flemish of course.
But the fact that he started talking about this fact really was something that struck me at the time. As the chairman of the Arsenal Belgium supporters club I might get an invitation when we play at their ground in March to be in the studio with a pundit and with the chairman of the Belgian Tottenham supporters club (yes they do have one).
The members of our supporters club have petitioned for this on the Facebook page of our sports channel and they promised to invite me. So I might have been on their radar the last week or so and it wouldn’t surprise me at all if they had visited our supporters club website on which we link to Untold Arsenal.
As the match reporter himself is said to be an Arsenal supporting one (we complain a lot about him as he usually tries to hide his pro-Arsenal bias be being very negative) he might have also sniffed around a bit and found me and of course Untold Arsenal. If I get invited as promised to the studio I will ask them about it of course.
Another thing that was very important last Sunday was our own Mesut Özil. I remember a few weeks ago when we had an article about Özil someone saying something like: “A world class player is a player that can turn a match around when you have no chance of winning it, are behind and he steps up and drags the whole team with him and forces something out of the match”.
Not a word by word quote but that was the gist of that comment. Well I think that this time this was the first time (or maybe the first time it really was noticed) that we saw Özil just do that. It was he who gave us chance after chance with his free kicks and corners and finally delivered the assist for the equaliser.
Of course we all know by now about the fact that by doing this he set a new PL record in being the first player ever to have assists in six consecutive PL matches. Long may that run continue. He also has 10 assists to his name so far and that is 4 more than the player in second place. Long may he be the number one in this table also.
Wenger said something about Özil becoming a leader in the team. And yes I have seen him waving his arms around, pointing and shouting at team mates over the last weeks. Özil who is not really an extrovert type (more a quiet type of person) is now adding this to his matches.
I think he finally feels completely appreciated at Arsenal now and this has brought him now confidence and energy. Not to forget a first real pre-season at Arsenal for the first time in 3 years.
Özil can win us matches when we are in control. That is something we already knew. Well at Untold we knew. But now it seems that he also can be the man to grind out results when things aren’t going to plan. And that is something that we should really keep in mind. One of his passes will find the right man in the right place in the end. We just have to trust him and let him feel our trust.
I think Özil really needs to feel the trust of his team mates (he has that I think) and the coaching staff (has that also) and of the supporters. And that is where we come in to the match. Let us sing his name and shout his name as much as possible. He finds that very important. If we can give him that and keep him here we might have a player that can go on an break any possible records in assists in the PL. Much to the benefit of the whole club.
Anniversaries
10 November 1948: Laurie Scott last appearance for England. He won 17 caps between 1947 and 1949
10 November 1951: Arsenal 6 WBA 3. Doug Lishman (3), Holton (2) and Logie were the scorers. With this result Arsenal had scored 16 goals in four league games.
Also today..
To be fair Walter, the awareness that Arry got the two victories is quite wide and was known at the time. So the reporter may have picked it up elsewhere.
This blog has an arrogance all of its own as if it’s the sole keeper of the Arsenal flame. The awareness of that Tottenham statistic was very widespread. Games are covered in immense detail now and there are all sorts of sources of information.
Untold are also not the only people who appreciated what a fine player Ozil is although he has had a number of critics. He has been regularly recognised recently as the assist king of Europe. Thankfully true supporters have given him their backing and it has inspired him to his current levels of excellence
Henry,
Yes its true that the information surrounding modern football is covered from every possible angle (stats, transfers, youth, referees, managers, etc.) But not everyone likes to hear/watch/read or spread information that contradicts their way of thinking or agenda, or information that they do not like. For example PGMO the referees board, not a single piece of information regarding referees’ performances is available in the public media.
Nowadays negative information is given more preference over positive information in the mainstream media, newspapers, radio, TV, social media and such. Positive information is but quickly swept under the rug or stored in the archives. Negativity allows the mainstream media generates more clicks, views, attention and most of all publicity. For example the story which every media outlet copy/pasted months back about Arsenal failing to sign “an outfield player”.
If all the detail and information of football matches is put out clearly, then the so called pundits like Carragher or Neville would have stopped criticizing and bad mouthing Arsenal. And people like Raymond Verheijen would also stopped spouting about Wenger’s fault in injuries at Arsenal.
“Untold are also not the only people who appreciated what a fine player Ozil”
What? Are you serious? I was under the impression that it was Billy The Dog who signed the check for £45M (Sterling) that bought this player from that lowly club full of poor footballers known as Real Madrid.
I would give credit for Özil’s current form to himself, his coaches (including a national manager who let’s him rest!), his physios and of course to his team-mates.
Took a season and a bit to bulk up and adapt to the PL which is nothing we haven’t seen from the likes of Koscielny before him and many others.
You can imagine the conversation with the old gaffer before coming to the club.
“Forget about Perez and his backbiting, and the fickle Qataris in Paris Are full of nothing but gas, come to The Arsenal and I’ll do my best to help you become the complete player”
Two FA cups and WC winners medal not a bad start. And, he’s started to shoot more! More goals will come. Not loads I think, but definitely more.
Physios who helped him adapt to the PL whilst other, um, unemployed physios, were typing away on twitter. Hopefully those knowledgeable people are watching out for RSI.
Should add that although he’s “bulked up” his form in his first season alongside Ramsey and supported by others, before injuries, took AFC to the top of the table.
Usama
Carragher and Neville are pundits whether we like them or not. Their job is to present a neutral view ( as is Thierry’s) and they do it well. Much as I love Arsenal I can’t expect the media to praise them unreservedly.
Arsenal’s injury record is lamentable and we were the only club in the top five divisions in Europe not to sign an outfield player. That is not negativity. It might be annoying to Arsenal supporters but it is a statement of fact.
Arsenal aren’t a religious institution above criticism. They may be our team but we must expect valid criticism of them and in the areas of injuries especially to English players who are forever unavailable there is a case to answer. And given our injury record which repeats year on year we possibly need to consider signing more outfield players
Henry,
As a matter of fact we signed two “outfield players” who are part of the premier league and champions league squad. Ismael Bennacer and Jeff Reine Adelaide.
I am not saying that Arsenal is not allowed to be criticized. Just as Tony and Walter are always saying that criticism from such people is based on no evidence, stats or facts
Henry Root: Arsenal’s injury record is lamentable and we were the only club in the top five divisions in Europe not to sign an outfield player. That is not negativity. It might be annoying to Arsenal supporters but it is a statement of fact.
Actually, it’s not a fact and highly misleading. We signed six outfield players. They’re just young. A little research goes along way.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015%E2%80%9316_Arsenal_F.C._season
No outfield signings?
Reminds me of last season when the club began the season with only 6 defenders.
How’s this Bellerin been getting on?
Young Catalan player of the year? Not anbad acheivement for a winger who’s not been in the squad.
Yes indeed it certainly feeds like Groundhog Day. Depending upon which funny papers are repeating the same old same old gibberish.
How about 15 a side? 😉
Henry Root
I am guessing you ignored all of the 6 outfield players we did sign (FACT) as none of them cost much.
I occasionally engage in debate here because it is a hotbed of passion for the club. None of the players we signed is ready for first team football as Wenger himself admitted after the Wednesday defeat. So yes we signed no outfield player who would strengthen the first team squad. Malden for example is 16 and a wonderful prospect. Reine Adelaide looks outstanding and is the only player who might add to the first team this season.
We signed a wonderful goalkeeper but should we have to play Europa League football in the second half of the season the squad would be very stretched, even though with our best side we would have a good chance of winning it.
As for Bellerin he is quite outstanding and is likely to be a full Spanish international soon. I’m delighted to see him recognised
Donyell Malen not Malden( spell check!)
Henry Root
By the time the Europa or group stage CL comes around we will have all of our currently sidelined players back and then it will be a case of trying to keep them all happy game time wise. Of course if our bad luck continues we may have other injuries to contend with by then and if that is the case and if our manager deems it necessary I assume he will attempt to reinforce the squad, but only if he can find the player/s that meet his criteria. I fully trust Mr Wenger to do what is required, as always.
Mick
Physio room.com statistics suggest that the idea of a full- strength Arsenal squad is a pipe dream . The point is that Arsenal have to plan on the basis that AOC, Wilshere, Rosicky , Ramsey and Walcott will miss around 50% of available games.If you doubt that look at the stats over the past three years. This year’s developments suggest it will be little different
Henry Root,
You can try to justify your orginal statement, but you still left out vital information. Whether it was left out intentionally to make your point, or you were just regurgitating the crap you’re constantly fed by the predictable media, it’s still not a fact. So yes, you perpetuated a lie but continue to pretend you were right. It’s good for your health.
Nice one , Walter . Why it should irk some is beyond me !
A couple was invited to a swanky costume party. The Mrs. got a terrible headache and told her husband to go to the party alone.
He being a devoted husband protested, but she argued and said she was going to take some aspirin and go to bed and there was no need for his good time being spoiled by her not going.
So he took his costume and away he went. The wife, after sleeping soundly for about an hour, awakened without pain and, as it was still early enough, decided to go the party.
Since her husband did not know what her costume was, she thought she would have some fun by watching her husband to see how he acted when she was not with him.
She joined the party and soon spotted her husband cavorting around on the dance floor, dancing with every nice woman he could, and copping a little feel here and a little kiss there.
His wife sidled up to him and being a rather seductive babe herself, he
left his current partner high and dry and devoted his time to the new babe that had just arrived. She let him go as far as he wished… Naturally, (since he was her husband.)
Finally, he whispered a little proposition in her ear and she agreed. So off they went to one of he cars and had a quickie.
Just before unmasking at midnight, she slipped away, went home, put the costume away and got into bed, wondering what kind of explanation he would make for his behavior.
She was sitting up reading when he came in, and she asked what kind of a time he had.
He said: “Oh, the same old thing. You know I never have a good time when you’re not there.”
“Did you dance much ?”
“You know, I never even danced one dance. When I got there, I met Pete, Bill and some other guys, so we went into the den and played poker all evening.
But you’re not going to believe what happened to the guy I loaned my costume to….”