By Tony Attwood
So we got a draw, and were somewhat lucky to end up top of the group – but that’s how it can go. The table ended up looking like this:
| Pl | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arsenal | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 11 |
| Eintracht Frankfurt | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 10 | -2 | 9 |
| Royal. Standard de Liège | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 10 | -2 | 8 |
| Vitória Sport Clube | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 10 | -3 | 5 |
Of all the outcomes having Vitoria carve out their only win of the campaign in the last game was perhaps the least likely but there it was – we ended up top of the group, which brings a slight advantage when it comes to the draw for the first knock out round.
“If Arsenal could translate their spells of distilled attacking brilliance into anything approaching a full performance, this could yet be some team,” said the Guardian after last night’s game in a measured and balanced piece. And if I were creating an exam question for A Level Sports Writing I’d take that and then ask those taking the exam to compare and contrast with one or two of the following.
Many Arsenal fans slaughter ‘absolutely shocking’ player v Standard who ‘needs to leave’
‘Allow it’, ‘Sickening’, ‘Shocking’ – Many Arsenal fans launch attack on player at HT v Standard
Seeing where the action was, HITC website joined in the assault, choosing as their headline…
‘Chelsea agent’: Some Arsenal fans rip into player who was ‘horrendous’ tonight
NBC Sport however was more generous and measured with
Mostly it was of course utterly negative, because, well that is what the blogs and newspapers do these days. Praising Arsenal is simply not the order of the day. So we got…
Arsenal player ratings as Saka shines while Sokratis flops in Standard Liege draw (Daily Star)
and
He has a problem & 10 other things I noticed as Arsenal seal top spot (
It was up to Arsenal’s own site the find the real positive with the headline, “Saka – It was a beautiful night for me” and indeed it was for the young man with oodles of talent and confidence. Sorry that the other blogs didn’t notice.
Squawka was however one of the many sites that went on the attack yet again with… “A storm is coming – Five Things Learned as Arsenal limp to embarrassing 2-2 draw with Standard” (That would be Liege, not the Evening Standard). But Squwaka is a problematic site because if you look up some of their past articles via Google when you click on them you come back to the current page – leaving one unable to read what they wrote in the past. It is not always the case but certainly to go back and look for articles from the Wenger era seems impossible – all one gets is the current page.
I wonder why.
So let’s record what they are saying now before it vanishes…
1. Bukayo Saka has “it”
2. Alexandre Lacazette needs more service
3. “Senator, you’re no Jack Kennedy”
This headline leads to “Ljungberg … had only managed reserve and youth sides, and was a poor choice to try and save Arsenal. Something which has now been made plain by the hideous displays under him that have changed absolutely nothing. For the first time in forever there has been no new manager bounce, Arsenal have continued to limp around the place, repeatedly punching themselves in the face.”
4. Tepid defending a disgrace to Per Mertesacker
“A bit like when Steve Bould joined as a coach and Arsenal’s defending didn’t improve; what on earth is Mertesacker doing in training if his players are still defending like this? No one’s expecting Sokratis and David Luiz to turn into Baresi and Maldini, but be better than this!” (I didn’t think Per has that sort of job as the head of the Academy, but maybe that’s a detail.)
5. Arsenal limp on, but a storm is coming
For most of the match it looked like Arsenal would finish second behind Eintracht Frankfurt (in fact for a brief moment it seemed like Arsenal might even get eliminated). … anyone who watched their performances so far this season, and especially their miserable dribble of a display in Belgium, will know that there is a storm on the horizon. Arsenal are a horrible side and unless something dramatic changes before February, the Gunners are heading for Europa League embarrassment in 2020.”
So there we are. The attacks go on and on and on and… well, on. If you believe that attacks like this on the club, which pour forth every moment of every day from hundreds of different blogs and newspapers, then you’ll be happy.
Group F (just in case you missed it the first time)
| P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arsenal FC | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 11 |
| Eintracht Frankfurt | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 10 | -2 | 9 |
| R. Standard de Liège | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 10 | -2 | 8 |
| Vitória SC | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 10 | -3 | 5 |
On a brighter note Labour will now rid itself of the destructive combination of Corbyn and Momentum and get back to being a party that traditional working class people can relate too. Oh and up the Gunners !
Rudolf
I hope you are right but alas they seem to still be deluding themselves that the Corbyn way is still the way to go.
I fear for our country now under this extreme right wing government that has 5 years, most likely with this opposition 10years, to completely destroy Unions and the rights of the working man, but in all honesty it was a vote between the dire and the disgraceful and the disgraceful won.
We have the biggest liar (and that really is saying something given the competition) you are ever likely hear running the Country.
The truth is at my age and my situation it will not affect me, I just wanted what’s best for our Children, our workers, our less fortunate and the Country as a whole.
I certainly don’t think an extreme right wing government is good for any of those aspirations. I also suspect leaving Europe and having a deregulated economy is a precarious position to be in.
But it is what it is and for the sake of all of us I hope my fears are unfounded.
As for the media and Bloggs take on our performance last night, well none of it surprises me. Actually that’s not right, I am surprised that ANY actually were at least balanced.
We wasn’t great but we didn’t need to be. Another mix and match team with a mixture of old, new, returnee’s and players playing for form was never going to produce a great performance. But as I say it was enough.
Through topping our group.
1 point behind Spurs. 2 points behind Man Utd. Yet you’d think we were out of Europe and in the relegation zone whilst those 2 were tearing up the place.
It sure is a funny old World.
I am Conservative supporter and I suppose that I am not allowed to comment here.
You can’t call me a racist or a fascist.
I came from North India in 1967. My family lived in one room for six years. We eat our meals on newspapers on the floor.
This country has given me a fantastic life. without any money, no connections and no support from anyone and failing my 11+ – I still had a fantastic life year earning well throughout my life and having a loving family and friends.
There are not many countries in which i could have done this. Certainly not in India.
So as you left wingers hate this country, I want to to tell you that |i love this country and i am really happy that Boris has been elected.
I’m not quite sure whose comments or articles you have been reading Gurpreet Jauhal but I can’t think why you are not allowed to comment here.
I am a lifelong Labour supporter, and I got Jeremy Corbyn to be the guest of honour at the launch of one of my books, but that doesn’t mean I hate this country. I live here, I continue to accept its democracy… so I don’t get your comment at all.
Of course there will be people here of different persuasions but that’s not an issue for us.
So I’m sorry you have drawn that conclusion – but at least you can have the satisfaction of knowing your post was posted. And if you do want to know about what we think, and the rules on which this site is based, do have a look at our Comments page. It’s called comments, and is linked to from the list of “Pages” on the left side of the screen. Or go straight there from here https://untold-arsenal.com/untold-comments
@ Nitram
I could have written every word of your post. Thanks for saving me the time!!
@ Gurpreet
It is so sad that the right wing seem to think they’ve cornered the market on patriotism and unless you’re a union jack waving Tory you’re some sort of Marxist traitor. The reason I wouldn’t dream of voting for the sociopath we have now got for a further five years (irrespective of his record of cheating and lying) is that I care passionately about this country and Johnson cares passionately about Johnson (and perhaps one or two of his old mates from Eton). He doesn’t give a monkey’s about ordinary people. The absurdity of the situation is that the evidence of him actually saying that is widely avaialbale in the public domain (and reiterated openly by his equally pompous and patronising father) but still people voted for him. I offer my congratulations to you for supporting the side that won the most seats. Sadly it doesn’t make you, or the majority of people in this country, a winner……unless of course you are very wealthy in which case you’ll probably do well.
And just for good measure, because I care passionately about this country and particularly the most vulnerable in our society I also voted against Brexit which I believe will again only benefit the few at a great cost to ordinary people. Just because I’m not an inward looking isolationist with a gripe against Europe it does not make me unpatriotic. Quite the contrary.
There that’s that off my chest.
On the topic of football, which after all is why we’re all here, I wonder what the headlines would have been for a number of other clubs had they suffered the same fate as to find themselves 2-0 down as a result of two very fortuitous deflections?
OT: Everton women v Arsenal women – Sunday
There was a blurb in the medja, about the upcoming game with Arsenal away to Everton, and how Everton feel they have a chance of a result.
It is good that Everton feel they can be competitive.
The article says that Everton have won 4 of their last 5 games (and that before that, you might have to go back more than 20 games to total up 4 wins). Maybe I missed a game somewhere, I am seeing 3 wins in the last 5. They lost to ManU (and are tied with them on points). They beat the spuds and are 2 points ahead of the spuds. The squeaked past Liverpool, and Liverpool are last (it seems almost everybody has a hard time scoring against Liverpool). They beat Brighton, and Brighton are 3rd from bottom with 6 points. And they lost to Reading, who are 4 points and 2 places below Everton.
The middle of the league is basically 3 teams with a near 0 goal difference, and that is where Everton are. The lowest goal difference in the top 3 is +16.
There are only 2 Champions League places for this season, and Arsenal will have to continue winning in order to secure one of those two places. So, Arsenal have lots of incentive to play well against Everton on the weekend. Chel$ea are 2 points behind with a game in hand. Both a loss and a draw would not be good at this point, but who knows what will happen?
Maybe Mike Dean shows up to officiate this game for Arsenal women? That would not be good. And all the medja in England would think that would be perfectly reasonable.
COYWG!
Mikey
Tanks for your comment.
Unsurprisingly I concur with your heart felt words and especially concur with this:
“Just because I’m not an inward looking isolationist with a gripe against Europe it does not make me unpatriotic. Quite the contrary.”
Exactly.
I’ve been listening to the Brexiteers, a lot of them dyed in the wool socialist, celebrating their win, but I cant for the life of me fathom what they think this extreme right wing party is going to do for them. It baffles me.
Under what circumstance would a socialist even let the following look after their cat let alone their Country:
Boris Johnson.
Jacob Rees-Mogg.
David Davis
Chris Grayling.
Teressa May
Do they not realise over the last 10 years this lot have overseen a real terms reduction in the working mans wage whilst CEO and the elite have seen their money soar.
What on earth makes people think that all of a sudden these people are going to look after their well being ?
Why on earth do people believe all their promises about Brexit when they wouldn’t believe a word they say at any other time ?
I did some links on a previous thread highlighting these peoples lies, failures and beliefs yet they have been entrusted with our economy and more with our lives.
God how I hope I am wrong.
What I do not understand is how anyone in the UK can believe that Brexit will make life better for it’s people.
I mean, if it were the solution to all problems, why did all these Brexit supporters suddendly discover they had familly, spouses, grand-parents who were european and made arrangements to become bi-nationals ? And don’t even get me started on Dyson…
Chris
And even if the economy flourishes, which I have serious reservations about, what makes people think they will benefit from it, as opposed to the CEO’s, Shareholders, Business owners etc., who will as usual fill their coffers?
Well we’ve had our little say, perhaps now without insults someone can explain exactly why they trust Boris and Co to look after them and exactly HOW they will look after them.
I am honestly intrigued to see:
Exactly WHY they believe Boris will help them as an individual, given the Tory record over the last 10 year ?
Exactly HOW they believe it will help them as an individual ?
I would be more than happy to see flood of posters with a variety of reasons as to why THEY will be better off.
@Nitram,
I believe the answer is because that was what was promised by the soundbytes and by the ‘press’, exactly the same way that Arsenal’s results are reported.
Simplistic, click-bait, manipulated, biased to the point of outright lying.
In our zapping civilisation, no one will listen to a Corbyn, Warren, Sanders explain healthcare will be made better. It takes more then 5 seconds. Easier to register 350 millions per week to the NHS.
In a way it is a sort of total capitulation of people living in a democracy, while in other countries people get jailed, rortured, killed because that is what they want. Thinking, building an opinion demands too much work.
May I remind you that antivaxxers, creationists and flatearthers have grown as a force and now even have friends/influence in the White House…As Tony always writes :” it is the truth because that is what I see ” or something like that.
As a european, I can only repeat the mantra : together we stand – divided we fall…. which applies to nations, cities, families and to football. Tell you what…some days I wish I were a Pool! supporter….cause hearing them sing their hearth out is just beautiful and would chill me if I were to play against them. You know that thing about never walking alone….
Chris
As much as it vexes me to say it I too have a grudging admiration for those die hard Liverpool fans, as I have said on here many times before.
The one thing I will add is that the Liverpool fans don’t have the media in their ears on an hourly basis telling them how shit their team is and how everything about the club is a joke as do we.
I hesitate to discuss politics on this Arsenal fan web site but since the rest of you have done it….
I voted Labour. I didn’t want Boris Johnson to win obviously. I also voted to leave the EU in the 2016 referendum. This is not because I am some kind of narrow minded nationalist but because I believe the EU as an institution is set up to make it easier for the rich in all the EU countries to exploit the 99 per cent.
I think Jeremy Corbyn is the best leader the Labour Party has had in decades because he actually cares about the 99 per cent. He inspired thousands of people, many of them young, to join the Labour Party. They worked their socks off to win this election but they still failed.
This is because instead of supporting the result of the 2016 referendum, where 52 per cent on a high 72 per cent poll voted to leave the EU, the Labour Party adopted a policy of having a second referendum where Leave would not even be on the ballot paper in any meaningful sense.
Not surprisingly a lot of working class people who live in poverty stricken, de industrialised, abandoned parts of Britain and who voted to leave the EU, who would normally vote Labour, decided their party had abandoned them and abandoned it.
I am desperately sorry for those of you who think the EU was a future for the honest amongst us. It was set up by the remnants of Hitlers Reich and got a good way towards running Europe into a German led state. The French have fallen in as they always have and eventually have had to get rescued by the Brits.
Greece is already German owned as are a lot of the mediterranean countries. UK was well on its way with all our manufacturing taken over and our banks on their way. It would only leave the work force and a large part of the ownership would be Monaco or elsewhere based.
Corbyn had absolutely no chance of victory with media all picking on anti semitism and bogeyman characterisation. People in UK generally got taken in and hated his guts. That and the stupid option of remain as part of possibility just destroyed Labour.
The referendum was a win for Brexit. Labour should have stood for Brexit with a good deal for workers -nothing less and nothing more. Boris got his publicity and Corbyn played into his hands.
Sadly Corbyn set up another loss for the Gooners. His mate John McDonell is my MP and is a Liverpool supporter. I have met him a few time on the local bus and chatted about football.
We will benefit greatly by being independant from Europe. I hope our stance on immigration gets robust and we stop illegal and false passport holders from entering the UK. Our benefit structure needs to be tightened so that abusers and fraud are deported.
On the football side – the tackle on Pepe by West Hams hatchet man who wasn’t booked has damaged Pepe’s knee. Amazing how PGMOL bear no responsibility for that.