By Walter Broeckx
Arsenal made on change in the starting line up for this match. Oxlade-Chamberlain started in the place of Campbell who dropped to the bench.
In the centre of defence we still had the Gabriel-Koscielny partnership and Per found himself a place on the bench.
Team at the start: Cech, Bellerin,Gabriel, Koscielny, Monreal, Flamini, Ramsey, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ozil, Alexis, Giroud.
On the beach : Ospina, Gibbs, Mertesacker, Coquelin, Walcott, Iwobi, Campbell.
Bboth teams trying to attack in the opening minutes but not leading to real dangerous attacks. The Ox almost sending Özil through on goal but a defender could kick the ball away in the last second. Flamini with a strong tackle on the ball but a correct foul called and a yellow card. Was a dangerous tackle and frontal tackles are always a foul. A through ball then that came in front of Alexis but he blasted over from a difficult angle with his left foot. Özil brought down on the flank but no free kick for Friend this time… was a foul and in a promising position. Maybe he didn’t like the skill from Özil that lead to the foul? 0-0 after 15 minutes.
Ramsey cleanly winning the ball resulting in an injury from a Bournemouth player that was beaten to the ball and it was him who kicked against the foot of Ramsey and in to the ground. The Ox then trying to shoot when a pass would have been the better option to a teammate that could have been on his own. Alexis the called offside… are you sure assistant? Looked level to me. A bit later a cross from Ramsey to the far post, a header back in front of the goal by Giroud and Özil on hand to blast the ball in the net. GOAL! 0-1 to The Arsenal after 23 minutes.
Arsenal win the ball back after the kick off, Özil to Alexis who just can’t control the ball but Ramsey picks it up plays it The Ox and he drills it in the far corner and over the line it goes from the post. GOAL! 0-2 to The Arsenal after 24 minutes.
Arter with some room for Bournemouth and a good shot but Cech tips it voer the crossbar. Monreal goes down when he wins the ball but Friend gives no penalty. Friend was right as it was more a stumble than a contact. Pugh almost away for Bournemouth but Bellerin with a last second kick on the ball prevented a possible shot on goal. Arsenal still 0-2 in front after 30 minutes.
Arsenal taking the tempo out of the match but let’s not get too casual as Ritchie has a shot from distance but well wide and over. Bournemouth trying to push a bit more forward in the closing stages of the first half leading even to a big chance for Smith but Cech quickly off his line at the expense of a corner. 0-2 in favour of Arsenal at the end of the first half.
Bournemouth trying to attack from the start of the first half. Arsenal with an attack but Giroud just can’t reach the cross from Özil. Smith at the other end find the outside of the net for Bournemouth after a good attack on their right flank. Arsenal has to be on focused when defending. Alexis at the other end with a low shot but the keeper with a good save. Giroud with a header from the corner but straight at the keeper. Giroud with a clumsy challenge should have been booked. Alexis with a great run on the left flank but no Arsenal player put his cross over the line. Arsenal still 0-2 in front after 60 minutes.
A Bournemouth player clearly slipping but ref Friend gives a free kick that is cleared but well a bit soft ref. Bournemouth mostly trying with shots from distance for the moment. After 66 minutes Coquelin comes on for Oxlade-Chamberlain.
The energy from Coquelin somehow changes the match as Arsenaly suddenly back master of the ball. Arsenal not making most of the attacks though. A third goal would have killed the match completely. Arsenal still 0-2 in front after 75 minutes.
After 80 minutes Alexis goes off and Gibbs comes on. Bournemouth kept on attacking and Arsenal lucky when a loose ball bounced around but no Bournemouth player on hand to make something happening. For the rest lots of distance shots and some corners but the defenders on top of it. An attempt from Bournemouth in the last minute of normal time but easy save for Cech. Then Ramsey and Giroud both on the same ball, the first one was allowed to run on Boruc but the keeper saved the one on one.
A corner to Bournemouth in extra time and two big big saves from Cech to deny a Bournemouth goal. In the last minute of extra time Theo came on for Giroud. But he didn’t touch the ball before the ref blew the final whistle.
Arsenal back to winning ways against a spirited Bournemouth that battled till the end. A few minutes of turning op the tempo had proven enough to come out winners.
Great to win again. Giroud needs to get him groove back if we are to make a real title challenge.
For those wondering why El Nenny was not in the squad, its because his wife had a new little girl born today. 🙂
Anyways it was a good all round game from us today.
Good win. Another clean sheet too. Thought Gabriel grew into the game and looked comfortable.
If we are to be champions this year and collect 80 points, we need to get 2.5 points per game till end of the season. And beat LCFC, Tots & ManC.
Tough, but surely possible.
I never doubt we are out of the title , I know the goals will come and we are going to win the league…inshallah
A good win in difficult conditions & nice to collect 3 points again. I think a (celebratory)wee dram of single malt is due later tonight!!
Some strange decisions from the ref – but his scope to tilt the game was diminished by our two relatively early goals.
Well done the team & manager.
The question in my head fromn the final whistle of the Leicester game yesterday – would the team handle the pressure from the knowledge that with a defeat they would be eight points behind Leicester? Handled it with ease.
Solid, compact, played their football. A great decision by Wenger to start with Flamini and Ox – if you fail, you’re eight points behind, you two play, this is a squad, you are all squad players.
The squad delivered. A necessary win in a title chase. Next week Leicester. Brilliant. This blend of high quality skill – how much was won today through sheer technical ability? – and hard work, each player playing, with the driving force of the team each player’s knowledge of their quality.
The tight passing along the touchline, the tight passing with a bunch of Bournemouth players around them, sometimes you can scream – kick it out – but then the momentum of the game changes because the passage has been won.
Imagine having to explain to a Martian how many changes can take place on a football pitch in a game between two teams through ninety minutes and it only takes 30 seconds to score a goal.
Zedsaunt,
Well said. Just observe that now the AAA are nowhere to be seen. They are a bunch of trolls and goblins who mass their stupidity in numbers, and are very consistent in arguing and bringing a fellow fan to their level of stupidity.
We’ve gotten the Arsenal win today that we all wanted to see. Thank God for that favour done to us. And we pray He God will also grant us another favour at home against Leicester City when we host them this coming Sunday.
Nevertheless, Arsenal must up their goals scoring rate as we are currently behind Spurs by a massive 9 goals difference in the table. To be on the safe side, Arsenal must score many goals as much as possible, should goal difference decides who become the Champions.
Petr Čech has earned his 12th clean sheet today.
Absolutely incredible. That’s almost 50 percent of the games played!
Those who like hockey probably remember Dominik Hašek, a great goalie from The Czech Republic who was well-known for his shoot-outs. He was called “Dominator”.
Čech is…”The Petrifier”! 🙂
We’ve gotten the Arsenal win today that we all wanted to see. Thank God for that favour done to us. And we pray He God will also grant us another favour at home against Leicester City when we host them this coming Sunday.
Nevertheless, Arsenal must up their goals scoring rate as we are currently behind Spurs by a massive 9 goals difference in the table. To be on the safe side, Arsenal must score many goals as much as possible, should goal difference decides who are to become the Champions.
Very important win. Could’ve, should’ve made the game easier for ourselves in the second-half but 3 vital points in the bag.
Ref was usual rugby style but I never got the impression he was out the f.ck Arsenal. In fact I thought he could well have sent Flamini off for a two footed tackle.
Demotion awaits for Mr Friend no doubt.
Usama
Spot on. They disappear after a good win, only to resurface when we slip up. And then you hear them claim they love Arsenal, when they’re nowhere to be seen when Arsenal does well! Only appearing in bad times, and only to slate the team and manager, not to offer support. What kind of love is that??? Weird bunch, this.
Usama
Where are the AAA? Wenger challenged them twice today – with an eight point deficit at the top riding on a loss today he picks Oxlade-Chamberlain and Flamini, the team then play football.
You would have thought one or two would have turned up and said, ”Good result lads, here’s to next week.”
Congratulations to the Arsenal Ladies, on tour in Spain. They beat Bayern Munich 3-1!
http://www.arsenal.com/match/report/1516/post/ladies/arsenal-ladies-3-1-bayern-munich
Al & Usama,
I must be anti-AAA for I only appear here when we win 🙂
I guess I just can’t stand the highly predictable bile that always follow our less desirable results.
Life’s too short to be spent being miserable or reading the pathetic rants of miserable people.
The BBC changes the images it attaches to links regularly, so I had to link direct. I hope BBC and Reuters don’t mind.
Costa should be carded for this rant at the linesman. He probably doesn’t even get talked to by the referee.
http://c.files.bbci.co.uk/13565/production/_88150297_diegocostaremonstratesreuters.jpg
Good win!!!
3 more in the bag AND we won’t have many TROLLs visiting 🙂
If we can get a win next week, the momentum will be ours. You know what? even a draw next week won’t be an absolute disaster, because there’s still plenty of football to play.
Betis Saville 1 Valencia gnev 0
It would seem that the great wise all knowing pundit G Neville is not a chip of the block of Sir macrednose after all.
His words of wisdom are proving to be the cawing of a mindless crow rather then hooting of a wise owl.
Will this information be included in those columns titled ‘!0 things we learnt about football this weekend’ which proliferate the English media?
I doubt it.
Gord, he does it always. As if hez going in for a fight. Charging at the referee. BUT gets away with it always!! Wonder if hez got a new set of rules designed for him.
Intimidating the referee, well in the I-league (Indias top division) a players pushed a linesman for not giving the decision his way. Which resulted in his manager slapping him on the pitch. But player was not sent off. If Costa is not punished, we may see that happen in the EPL too. Intimidating the referees is not right.
Zouma from Chelsea just stretchered off when he did his knee after jumping up on his own. Sad thing to see… 🙁
Is Kamara at Southend United? He came on at half time. Opposition decided to play a man short from 36m on.
Hull lost to Burnley (0-1). Hayden played the entire game, picking up a yellow along the way. Akpom came on at 76m.
Toral started, and played 71m in Birmingham’s loss.
Wellington started and played 81m in Bolton’s win.
Maitland-Niles was an unused substitute in Ipswich’s loss.
Sanogo is at Charlton? No Sanogo on the gamesheet there.
Zelalem started and played 61m in Ranger’s scoreless-fest.
Down in the land of _dark_ red wine, Roma won on Tuesday. Both goals by Egyptian’s. They play Sampdoria later today.
The bile that exists between 2 sets of Arsenal fans, the pro and anti Wenger camps is corrosive and destructive. Reading the above it seems a lot of people on this site are more concerned with vilifying the aaa as they put it than they are in celebrating a good win. Let haters hate, and concentrate on the positive.
Please forgive me, but come on Chelsea tie that game up.
Nice to see how Valenicia did (I think they lost). I seen a commentary towards end of game, it looked like the only thing Valencia were doing, was fouling. Gee, imagine that. 🙂
>> on his booking…
> I was focused on the ball. We went together to compete and I got the ball but it was a good decision from the referee.
Nice to see that from Flamini at Arsenal.com
Wenger’s interview is up as well. He was impressed that Ozil scored with the right foot.
Bootoomee
I just might follow your lead too 🙂 stay away when things don’t go well and avoid the unwelcome emergence of the foul-smelling aaa – from the sewers – with their energy-sapping negativity that unfortunately permeates this place like a virus.
Col
Unfortunately it’s not as simple as that; two distinct camps that are either pro or anti Wenger. The anti Wengers for example, go to extreme lengths of trying to find negatives in a good Arsenal performance, to the point they don’t want Arsenal to win. What is wrong with celebrating an Arsenal win, even if you’re against the manager? It’s like they’re depressed each time Arsenal wins… The pros, on the other hand, are behind the team win or lose, which I thought was what support is all about. It’s clear to see which camp is unreasonable between the two, but I’ll leave you to decide which one that is.
@colario
The biggest issue with Gary Neville is that he didn’t bring Mike Riley to Spain. 🙁 Was there a single successful manager that had learned his trade from Alex Ferguson?
Carlos Queiroz, Steve McClaren, Steve Bruce, Mark Hughes, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Teddy Sheringham, Gary Neville… I guess they should have asked for “The Phone-book” from their master.
Didn’t see it but three welcome points. Doesn’t sound like the ref was too awful, wouldn’t imagine these two footballing sides would have given him too hard a day.
Gabriel, interesting he kept Per out. I like this defender, he is still finding his way a bit, but think he may be useful up against the likes of Vardy. Leicester often rely on long balls hit to Vardy or Mahrez…..we have just about the quickest defence going when Gabriel plays. I think we will beat Leicester and finish next weekend right back in the mix. Leicester did very well this weekend, but City looked like a pub team at times, just wonder about this Pep effect, though I for one will certainly not be writing this talented squad off.
Could do with our strikers firing a bit more, but sure that will come.
Hope Zoumas injury is not as bad as that looked.
Good point Josif……would add Keane to that list, tho he did have a single good year at Sunderland.
I hope Fergie was a one off in terms of intimidating and selecting refs, and getting other LMA British managers to roll over for his teams…Pulis and Stoke would hardly put a tackle in at OT. the odious Phil Brown orchestrated a load of lies to try and get Cesc banned …..to try and ingratiate himself with Fergie.
Bit I expect Jose to try similar should Utd sell their soul and history and appoint him this summer.
I think it was nice to see Chel/ManU split the points. Let them scrap with WHam, Liv, Southampton and Everton for 5th. At this point, it is probably easier for Chelsea to catch them, than it is for ManU to get to 1st.
Odd, 13 games remaining and there are only 5 teams above 40 points.
May you live in interesting times.
Al, broadly agree, which is why I come here. However, a lot of Arsenal fans I know still support the team even if they don’t think Wenger is the man to take them forward. I think there is a broad range of opinions, and only the most extreme actually take pleasure in Arsenal losing. I have met people who have been season ticket holders for many years who nonetheless want him to leave. Are they not true fans?
.A good win after our stuttering performances in the last 4 games.Lets hope we can keep it going for a late title push.Only time will tell …
The foul that resulted in a yellow card for Flamini was replicated in the later game, when Mikel slid in on Carrick. Not even a foul apparently let alone a card.
Inconsistencies like this need investigating as it does stink of bias if nothing else.
Col
With all due respect, I don’t wish to be drawn into a discussion about idiots. Before you think I’m being unreasonable just take a look at the sheer huge number of dislikes people are getting on this thread today, for what? stating facts which at worst can be deemed neutral… ? You know why theyre doing that? because the team won and they cant whinge…
Let’s talk about today’s game from now on, if you don’t mind.
There are probably many true fans who do not like Wenger. That is mainly because they think pundits & the media know football. If they had any idea of how difficult it is to reset a clubs basics to give up abuse of self & to focus on sport with a clean healthy body! Wenger has not only built a footballing team but cleansed the social structure of booze & immoral attitude into a professional focused squad of players towards an Arsenal success. Give them a cup or two & they will still want a new manager. They do not have a slightest idea of management of a business around football.
They may be fans but stupidity is not the realm of idiots only. Many who are normally intelligent lose their sense when listening to pundits. Neville took so many into his wonderful world of Management expertise. Just look at where it has got him.
I am a season ticket holder and go away too when I can get a ticket and hear the odd murmur about the manager, mainly when we don’t play well or not win. Too much social media chit chat that they latch on to which does nothing but stir up the hornets nest. Now the managers like Klopp and Guardiola have been snapped up, they now ask who is to replace the boss. One more year after this one and maybe two more until the right candidate comes along. Is it TH14 or someone like Eddie Howe, who gets his team to play football the right way? Next week is now a great incentive to lay down a marker and put us back in the title hunt. Up the Arsenal.
Walter
Did you just take pleasure from seeing a young player possibly injure his knee badly, or did I misunderstand your comment regarding Zouma’s?
It would be very disappointing to see a professional referee reacting in such a manner to another football professional’s bad luck.
Didn’t your career get impacted negatively by a knee injury as well?
Col
I think there’s a difference between supporters & fans. I would say that supporters are the ones who actually attend matches, pay for their seats and literally help to support the club financially. Whereas others are just fans. I’ve not been in 5 or 6 seasons so now consider myself no more than a fan.
Tom, repeat the following 100 times….
Walter
Sad thing to see.
Tom,
I see nothing in Walters comment that expresses anything other than regret at a player getting an unfortunate injury. I know him well enough to know that would have been his intention. I’m sure that all Untolders will wish Zouma a full and speedy recovery, as we would one of our own.
At last Arsenal started scoring! It was great that both Ozil and Ox scored, they needed it so much. Now it is time for Walcott and Ramsey to score more, they are underachieveng at this department this season!
Ramsey was everywhere, but it seems was not so fresh- many misplaced balls later in the game. But in the first half Arsenal scored because of his quality play.
The flow was better, not many unforced errors as it was of late.
The defence was a bit shaky, because of Gabriel and Monreal too(sic!). This time Koscielny was faultless.
It is time for Leicester. This match will be different, their defence is much more tighter. Let only 3 goals in 8 matches after Chirstmas. Arsenal let 8 at that time. Both teams got 5 clean sheets in that period.
Arsenal had some better players coming form injury. Coquelin is improving step be step. He showed flashes of good pressing & good forward passing. That means it will be better. Sanchez have some good runs. It is a pity that he was whisted offside, when he was not.
I have seen some brilliant passes from deep. Ozil did that today, Sanchez did that not so long ago, Ramsey used to play ball like that. It is a great weapon against high line and pressing. I hope they will hone this skill. Against Barca it will be crucial. Agaist Tottenham too.
Up by 2 after 24 minutes…and we finish 0-2 winners…good result.
Curious, though…when was the last time we really thrashed a team? I think we have to go back a good three seasons since we really hammered someone…so what’s my point? Of course grinding out 1-0 or 2-0 wins is important and it gets us the same three points but it doesn’t scare other teams. They respect us but they aren’t scared. The 2003-4 team SCARED teams. They would visit Highbury…heck even on their own grounds…and just know that if we got 2 we might get 6. We had won half our games before we set foot on the pitch. I sure miss that swagger…it’d be nice to get it back.
I think there is a difference between supporters and fans.
Supporters support the club regardless of who is in charge, who plays for the club and what are the goals of the club. After all, George Graham was Mourinho before Mourinho but an Arsenal supporter still supported the club during his reign.
Fans are more…spoiled. Most of Arsenal fans have been in love with Arsenal since Wenger’s arrival which explains high expectations. You don’t expect too much from a mediocre but from someone who has already shown you he is top of the game.
@GGG- what is thrashing for you? A 3:0 against United by the 20th minute is a thrashing for me. 5:0 against Villa last season in the league, 4:0 in the Final.
In 2012-13 we were pretty inconsistent but we did beat West Ham 5:1 with 4 goals in 10 minutes, Newcastle 7:3 with four goals in 17 minutes, 5:2 and 4:1 against Reading, 5:2 against Spuds…
Al and Usama, the aaa are very much around. Just look at the dislike buttons.
Tom, are you upp in disguise? Walter said Zouma, his injury was sad to see. English may not be your first, second or third language but your attack looks premeditated.
Congrats to Elneny and family…the new born is a good omen for the team.
Well done boys well done AW.
COYG
Tom,
sorry but I cannot see how you could read me having pleasure about what looked a serious injury????? “Sad thing to see” followed with a “sad” emoticon….
Believe me as my own playing career ended premature after a very serious and similar to Ramsey’s injury at the age of 19 years old, that I never take any pleasure in seeing a player suffering a serious injury
@GGG
Just to add to Josifs’ post @ 8:22 pm
I would count the 5-2 away win at Leicester earlier on this season pretty much a thrashing; considering we were 4-1 up when they scored their second and Giroud caped the game off with the 5th – compounded by the fact they (Leicester) have whipped a few this season makes our whipping to them even more pronounced against your post!
Typical of the naysayers; Arsenal get a good win, they have nothing to moan about so come here to personalise attacks on other posters and click on the dislike button…
Anyway, back to the football. We should be ok against Leicester next week, should we get a fair set of officials (do they exist in this league? Think we know the answer to that). Giroud is due a goal, so expecting him to grab one. And so will Sanchez. I think if Theo plays he will bag one too. I see this as a high scoring game…, something along the lines of 3-2, 4-1, something like that. I just can’t see a 0-0.
Looks like the boss will partner Gaby and Kos in defence again; makes sense if you’re playing against a team that’ll be looking to hit you on the break; you need your fastest defenders on the pitch. Think Per will play against Barcelona as we will probably spend most of the time in our own half.
Congratulations to the Elneny family on the arrival of their new bundle of joy.
Oh, forgot to add and that ‘overdue’ assist/s from the assist-master 🙂
@ Josif and apo Armani
I get your points…I guess what I am saying is…We are good…let’s get better!…Let’s get to the stage where Arsenal’s quality is not just banter among fans but rather a quiver in our opponents knees. And…what is a thrashing?…it’s semantics, I guess. We did beat Leicester easily and Villa in the FA Cup…and ManU 3-0…Without getting down on the team…Hey why not make it 7-0 and have ManU really hurtin’?
Al
I had been clicking on the dislike button for some of Serge’s comments in the pregame thread, but very soon into the game, that javascript function quit working (and still isn’t working). So I wrote a comment suggesting that Serge go tell the tree across the street about how the lineup was different than he expected.
————–
In the BBC.
> Obituaries already written – Neville
Yes, that’s correct. Neville is determined that his team will break someone’s leg before he is sacked. Why else would his team be so good at getting fouls, and not winning games? What is he teaching them?
Walter
My mistake!
Watching Real Madrid game I took a quick look at your match report and the subsequent comments. Without my reading glasses all emoticons used in the comments section looked like smiley faces.
That’s why I formulated my post in the form of a question ,with a possibility of this being a misunderstanding on my part.
Cheers!
Medja are claiming that Arsenal have signed Leicester scout Wrigglesworth.
About supporters or fans…
I think a supporter is a more committed individual, and more likely to attend games, and more so away games, hence the term “away supporters” that applies to people who really love Arsenal. But you can be a supporter and not attend games, as people like me are unable geographically to attend, yet I watch every single second of every single game, taking half days off from work, at my expense, in the process.
I also think that a fan is a less committed individual, not as assiduous as a supporter, and possibly with a changing attitude; hence the term “fair weather fan” used for those who only identify with the team under certain conditions, based on results, players, manager(s) or other variable.
As to the AAAA, they are fans who want to complain about something. Currently, they are complaining about the Boss and some players. They like the Arsenal to buy players who have dubious agents and/or players who want super-inflated wages of the kind only sugar daddy or oil daddy clubs can afford, and/or players who end up being big busts at the clubs they end up joining.
And I do not understand how fans want the Boss to leave. Build a state of the art (no pun intended) stadium, finish top four for a whole tenure, pass the first round of the CL every year, win back to back FA cups… None of this satisfies these fans. If they have their mind set that the Boss is never the right man for the job, despite all of the above, then I am sorry to say that they are honorific (or horrific) members of the AAAA.
Let us see the illustrious list of top managers since 2000:
Ancelotti: pragmatic and able to get the best of his players, but unlikely to develop talent and ultimately big on spending via fees and wages.
Benitez: defensive, boring, and restrictive of players’ freedom.
Capello: could not tell what talent is, boring and calculating.
Enrique: unproven outside Catalonia, may be Guardiola II.
Guardiola: only manages clubs who have money and a dozen superstars.
Klopp: struggling with Liverpool, but one to watch when he gets it going.
Louis van Gaal: do I need to comment on him at this junctures?
Mourinho: dark arts, hypocritical and narcissistic cnut.
Pellegrini: is now showing his limitations, as his team was presumed to run with the title when the cnut sacrificed his players for his inflated ego.
Tony Pulis / Brendan Rodgers / other flavor of the month: are you kidding?
Arsene Wenger: integrity, honesty, aversion to waste money, intelligence, desire to develop young players, respect for the game, respect for the supporters and the fans.
@Ray
Well said, but these fans like to complain. It really doesn’t matter what the situation is, they will find something to complain about. They will continue to complain whoever is the manager at Arsenal. It’s just a way of life for them.
There you go again..
Serge, you got your definition wrong. A supporter is like the towers of the windmill. Winds strong or no wind we stand. Fans are like the rotors, only work when therez optimal wind.
What makes you think Gord doesnt financially support the club?? I am Red member, and renew every year despite knowing the fact that I cant avail any offers a london based red level member can. We spend time watching the club at odd times, specially those midweek Champions league games (for me its 2am and for Gord probably 2 pm). You should learn to respect the sacrifices (big or small) your fellow supporters make. Rather than pointing out your holiness….
HE SAID / he said –
The inventor of the Harley-Davidson motorcycle, Arthur Davidson, died and went to heaven.
At the pearly gates, St. Peter told Arthur, “Since you’ve been such a good man and your motorcycles have changed the world, your reward is, you can hang out with anyone you want in Heaven.”
Arthur thought about this for a minute and then said, “I want to hang out with God.”
St. Peter took Arthur to the Throne Room and introduced him to God.
God recognized Arthur and commented, “Okay, so you were the one who invented the Harley Davidson motorcycle?”
Arthur said, “Yep, that’s me.”
God said, “Well, what’s the big deal in inventing something that’s pretty unstable, makes noise and pollution and can’t run without a road?”
Arthur was apparently embarrassed, but finally he said, “Excuse me, but aren’t you the inventor of woman?”
God said, “Yes.”
“Well,” said Arthur, “professional to professional, you have some major design flaws in your invention too:
1. There’s too much inconsistency in the front-end protrusions;
2. It chatters constantly at high speeds;
3. Most of the rear ends are too soft, and wobble too much;
4. The intake is placed way too close to the exhaust;
5. And the maintenance costs are enormous!”
“Hmmmmm, you have some good points there,” replied God, “hold on.”
God went to His Celestial supercomputer, typed in some key words and waited for the results. The computer printed out a slip of paper and God read it.
“Well, it may be true that my invention is flawed,” God said to Arthur, “but according to these statistics, more men are riding my invention than yours.”
How many Christians does it take to change a lightbulb?
Charismatics: Only one. Hands already in the air.
Pentecostals: Ten. One to change the bulb, and nine to pray against the spirit of darkness.
Presbyterians: None. Lights will go on and off at predestined times.
Roman Catholic: None. Candles only.
Baptists: At least 15. One to change the light bulb, and three committees to approve the change and decide who brings the potato salad.
Episcopalians: Three. One to call the electrician, one to mix the drinks and one to talk about how much better the old one was.
Methodists: Undetermined. Whether your light is bright, dull, or completely out, you are loved. You can be a light bulb, turnip bulb, or tulip bulb. Church wide lighting service is planned for Sunday. Bring bulb of your choice and a covered dish.
Nazarene: Six. One woman to replace the bulb while five men review church lighting policy.
Lutherans: None. Lutherans don’t believe in change.
Jehovah’s Witnesses: Three. One to screw in the bulb, and two to knock on your door and ask you if you’ve seen the light!
Mormons: Just one, after his wives have gotten on the school bus.
Amish: What’s a light bulb?
What has this site and the interminable arguments about football done to me!?
While being delighted Flamini didn’t see red, and thinking yellow was right, I couldn’t help calculating what a boon that incident will be in the weeks and months to come for those who want to call us hypocrites here or insist we’re off our heads with our suspicions about referees.
The referee review lads will have a tough call, if they’re anything like me. Tactically, the right move is to say red, but i honestly don’t feel it was.
I guess the rules will have to settle it. If any instance of leaving the ground, both studs showing, arriving at the ball with both feet together is a red, then it should have been red.
I’ve always thought the danger level, force and how close the other player is when you make the challenge should be key factors in the decision, but maybe the rules say otherwise.
I actually thought the ref was pretty good. Maybe that’s because of what I’m comparing him to, maybe it’s because i do have a suspicious tendency to view them more positively after good results. Just felt like he was not intent on screwing us but also that he did well on a lot of tricky calls. Also, old Friend has the most inscrutable face of any ref I’ve ever seen and for some reason that seems a good quality for a ref.
ARSENAL13 – good on you Gooner!! Arsenal have international support just like its players from all over the world. We strive for the beauty of the game.
Rich
Agree about the referee. Certainly didn’t seem to be out to screw us.
It comes to something when that’s your barometer as to whether a ref was any good or not, but such is the level we have come to expect.
As per the Flamini incident, personally I think it should of been a red.
To me, it is irrelevant whether he catches the opponent or not, or whether there was intent. It’s all about the inherent danger of the tackle.
But, that is just my interpretation.
As you say, we will surely know more when we have the application of the ‘Laws of the Game’ from whoever does the review.
Another angle on this is of course the medias take on it. As expected it is being portrayed as a definite red and yet another example of an Arsenal player getting away with something. The referee is being left in no doubt as to how he messed up and we all know how that will pan out for him, and us.
Demotion, a spell in the wilderness, immediately followed by the opportunity to put the record straight in the next Arsenal game he officiates in.
On the subject of the Flamini lunge; IMO this should have been a red (would chalk it up to a decision FOR us – a VERY rare one), however what really gets me is the intensity in all the media to lunge on this (punt intended) and go on and on about ‘intent’ being irrelevant but what is – the act!!
Funny how the twist,bend and manipulate their agenda when it suits ehh??!!!
When our players have their legs broken by thugs, then that special word ‘intent’ is used t suit their thugs!
How is Neville doing by the way…?
5:2 vs Leicester away not was a thrashing ?
3:0 at Olympiacos
3:0 at Watford
3:0 at Swansea
That was great. How often you see away team win like that??
Before the last 2 games at Emirates Arsenal won nearly all since tiny early wobble.I hope it was another tiny wobble. In the start Arsenal has not scored in 2 matches at home. Last time again in 2. It was a fortress and it will be a fortress. No big teams in the league will come here anymore after high-flying Leicester.
Maybe no trashing there but good wins.
apo Armani
Exactly.
The media go out of there way to exonerate any player of any blame when they snap our players legs. We then get a procession of talking heads telling us how he’s ‘not like that’ etc. etc. How Arsenal have to toughen up and stop whingeing. It’s a mans game blah blah blah.
But God forbid one of our players should transgress, and travesty upon travesty, be perceived to get away with it !! Heaven forbid that should ever happen.
Le coq was wrongly portrayed as having ‘got away with it’ at Palace and we all heard the following shit storm over that, and how the ref was left in no doubt as to his failings and what was expected of him in the future, so Christ knows what’s going to happen following this when it is arguable Flamini was fortunate to not see a red.
As expected SKY are all over it. I assume the written press will be also. I can only guess at what Talkshite will make of it.
The one thing I do know is that the World and his dog will be left in no doubt as to how Flamini has got away with it.
As for Mr Friend. Not often I feel sorry for a referee but all I can say is he better brace himself for a right royal rollicking.
SKY trying to get us 2 reds.
Apparently friends ‘tolerance level was too high’.
Given what teams get away with against us this is beyond ironic. It’s laughable.
Goes 11:19pm
Haha, he’s probably still out there arguing with the tree 🙂 Shame about the JavaScript function giving up on you. Suggest you dust your programming skills and write a script that searches for any of Serge’s posts and hit the dislike button a 1000 times on each post, that would be fun if implemented 🙂
Jambug
We will not hear the end of this Flamini non-red from sky and the other rags. The duplicity of these people is staggering; heard Mikel replicated Flamini’s tackle but wasn’t even shown a yellow card tlby the ref, and you won’t hear any mention of it. I guess a good thing is Coq is now back, and Elneny should be ready by next weekend so hopping for the boss to take Flamini out of the spotlight by benching him. But you’re right, Friend is not going to be so lucky. He will be another Mason on us soon..
Can anyone remind me when we last heard the media banging on about a ref not sending a player that deserved a red card off? The only other time I can remember this season is the failure by Mason to send Coq off. But are those the only incidents that were worthy of sendings off the refs missed? Hell no. Fellaini is always smashing his elbows into people’s faces but you won’t hear the media raise it. In the clash between Leicester and City Arguero was kicked from pillar to post, city could have had at least two penos, but no mention of that. Focus should just be on Arsenal. I hear Flamini got to the ball first anyway, so sounds like he had judged/timed his tackle well. The ref dealt with it, so what’s the fuss all about?? It’s shocking that some people can’t see any differences in how Arsenal are treated against treatment given to other teams in England.
Meant Gord @11:19pm, damn autocorrect 🙂
Jambug
Good to hear your view on it mate. You can probably tell I’m a bit uncertain about that one.
I think it’s only right that there should be a few calls that really put us to the test; or, in my case, really made me question whether it’s possible to be as impartial as I’d like to be on every occasion.
Think you’re plenty sensible enough to read that as it’s meant and not take it as a confession from me that I’m biased and there’s nowt that can be done about it.
Anyway, doesn’t change the fact media reaction is, predictably, a load of bollocks. I guarantee there’ll have been a dozen of so tackles like that which haven’t seen red and have provoked little comment.
I see it quite a lot where people jump in like that in a situation where the opposition player is a yard or two away, or even a little closer, or, and this is a regular event, doesn’t contest it because they have read the other guy’s intention to jump in like that. If it’s the pure technique that is outlawed- two feet, studs- I guess all of them are reds.
I approved of the red for Wes Brown a year or so ago where he went in with incredible force and the other guy had to just leave it or get messed up. They didn’t back the ref on that and rescinded it with an apology. So maybe I’m wrong here. though…aah, I’m still struggling to see it as a red.
Whatever the case may be, it was a million miles from Cahill’s challenge, an easy red given the rules for reckless and dangerous play, and one where Cahill connected strongly (he couldn’t miss, and flat out decided to ignore the ball and smash Sanchez high).
If i remember right the coverage was mild, the old bullshit of ‘he’s maybe lucky there’. Don’t quote me on that but I’m near certain not one of the pundits or members of the media was actually angry about it not being a red.
I’m gutted at thought of Friend copping a lot of flak for it. At present, there are precisely three refs I have a decent level of trust in- him, Marriner and Oliver.
Clattenberg is an excellent ref but i don’t know if I trust him. Mason is now up there with Atkinson, Dean and Taylor. We can’t afford another one being directed to perform like them.
And some people think we should sign an ‘enforcer’.
If we did the poor sod wouldn’t last 2 minutes.
Work calls.
Al
I haven’t written a javascript program before, I just dislike the concept of javascript. I don’t like live data.
But, my favorite autocorrect type story, was in writing reports about work at a project site I had at Mundare, Alberta, Canada. The spell check kept suggesting mundane as a replacement for Mundare.
Mundare may have the best sausage in Alberta. It is hardly mundane.
Dammit. Atkinson.
Gord
Mundare sounds like a place in Africa, just how a place in Canada ended up getting such a name?
Rich
“. We can’t afford another one being directed to perform like them” – Afraid that’s exactly what will happen with Friend if the media keep going on about it. The pigmob top hierarchy will happily oblige.
Oh shit, twatkinson?! Wtf.
Al
According to the all knowing Wikipedia:
> Mundare was named after William Mundare, a railway station agent. In July 2007, the town marked its 100th anniversary with a three-day celebration.
Mundare is next to the railway line.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mundare
———-
Arsenal 13
Sadly, I am a poor financial supporter of Arsenal. The only thing I have is a Dreamcast (red/white) jersey. The only currency I have to offer is knowledge. Learning of autism at age 41 didn’t help any.
Thanks for the knowledge, Gord 🙂
For me the Flamini tackle was not even a foul (read Arsene) he was there so early two footed or not the tackle was no way reckless, no way endangering the opponent, the only thing that surprised me is that the Bournemouth player actually put his foot in, that was a 70/30 tackle in flamini’s favour, the Bournemouth player should just have acknowledged he was never getting to it, effectively kicking Flamini.
The thing that annoyed (but not surprised me) is that the host of the programme asked the all knowing pundits about 4 or 5 times their thoughts on the tackle (both said never a red), but host still had to ask “you still standing by your thoughts on the red card” or words to that effect, just had to keep going until the last second trying to get what they wanted…
Oh forgot to say, also no replay, no mention by commentators, no host/pundit inquest in a two footed tackle in the Chelsea/Utd game after either, also no surprise…
As I see that my , “How many …..does it take to change a light bulb ?” joke above seems to have stirred the shit , here’s another light bulb joke…. just right their alley !
http://9gag.com/gag/91547/so-what-do-you-think-perry
Sorry …meant , just right up their alley ! Maybe I should have rephrased that as , light at the end of the tunnel ?
Or enlightening shit ?
Or bright ideas of the gut ?
All the media hypocrites who are saying that Flamini should have seen red, a reminder that Cahill of Chelsea went studs up on Sanchez and did not get a red card. Never mind many other situations. We get one exceptional borderline call and the norm is that the referees screw us, we’ll some of them anyway, and very consistently. Media + AAAA = Tartuffe unlimited.
Gord – screw all the critics who know fuck all about life. I apreciate your amazing knowledge & broad understanding of the finer things in life. You never have to accept anything but the best.