Wonderful. Simply Marvellous. Till tomorrow.
…
…
…
…
…
Well Ok, But the rest will only be padding.
I’m sure you don’t need me to analyse a game that everyone will have seen for themselves, but here are my thoughts.
We won. And won well.
Three points, the first three of the thirty we spoke of last week. The first cup final down, nine to go.
The magnitude of yesterdays result should NOT be overlooked.
We went to play Swansea just three days after a gruelling game in Munich. The statistics show that it is very difficult to win an away game after any CL game. For any team, not just Arsenal.
I am also told that no top five team has won at Swansea this year. So it is a hard place to win.
Watching Swansea it is easy to understand why. They kept the ball as well as any team we have played this year. They were calm on the ball and very patient with their build up play.
The fact that they did not have a single shot on target is a little misleading. They had nine shots, some of which went very close. I thought the home team played very well.
However, after the first fifteen minutes we matched them for the rest of the first half, perhaps even shading it.
I must admit ,after The Ox hit the bar for the second time, I started to fear the worst. I thought we might struggle in the second half due to the exertions of Wednesday night.
No such problems.
From the whistle we were totally dominant. By far the greatest team the world has ever seen.(Sorry, I could not contain myself for another minute).We were well worth the result.
So let’s look at some of the positives.
Lukasz “safehandski” gave us not a single reason to question his inclusion in the starting line up.
The back four as a unit preformed peerlessly. Moving up as a unit and dropping off as a unit.
Jenkinson was magnificent, Laurent too. Per and Nacho (scorer of his and our first ,well done lad)were very good.
Mikel was so assured it makes a mockery of those who insist we need a DM.
Santi was the best player on the pitch by some margin, that was until Gervinho entered the fray. Then he was the best player on the pitch. I thought the Ivorian was superb and deserves to be lauded .Folk are quick enough to disparage the lad ,will they eat humble pie? Will they bollocks.
AOC was very threatening in the first half ,but seemed to run out of steam somewhat ,prior to being substituted.
I felt that despite the odd moment of genius, Diaby looked a little off the pace. I was asking for him to be removed at half time. Yet I was glad he got the minutes he needs to get back up to speed. We should not underestimate how much of a difference the lad can make when fit.
Theo and Giroud were not at their best, but hey?
Oh, and Ramsey. That boy is just what you want when an energy injection required. Two nil up and in the ninety second minute he is running forty yards, at break neck speed, to close their keeper down. I love that kid.
On top of all that Rosicky got a full game on Wednesday and is back well and truly in the picture.
Also we had Podolski and Jack unavailable, both of whom should be back for our next game.
All in all, I loved it, enjoyed every minute, and can relax now for two weeks.
Positively bloody fantastic.
Positively Arsenal 
I have to say George I think you sum up exactly how every Arsenal fan will be feeling today. That was a big ask yesterday. After Bayern and at the Liberty Fortress, graveyard of top teams with some top players out and others rested following their midweek efforts, to go and control and win in the most brutally professional fashion was just amazing.
LikeLike
“Oh, and Ramsey. That boy is just what you want when an energy injection required. Two nil up and in the ninety second minute he is running forty yards, at break neck speed, to close their keeper down. I love that kid”. I LOVE HIM TOO!!
LikeLike
Morning. Agreed. A tough game away and the desired results in the bag.
Patience. Assured performance after a big draining game in Europe. Yet the crew won and KEPT A CLEAN SHEET. hope the guys remain mentally sharp in this period of inactivity before the next game.
Lets hope that todaya results go our way.
FORWARDS……………
LikeLike
Hahaha. Ok. I love him too. Way before he even kicked a ball for the
ARSENAL.
LikeLike
Lovely stuff, George. What an epic few days it has been for the club. Like you say, just 9 more to go. I’m not s huge Gervinho fan but there’s no doubting the danger he can cause. Defenders are falling over, trying to predict which way he’ll turn.
I don’t really agree on Diaby. I thought he played quite well but twice he spurned good opportunities to either score or assist. He won many battles in MF and his passing was pretty sharp.
LikeLike
“I don’t really agree on Diaby.”
That’s about as near we get to a fight on PA.
LikeLike
An extremely professional performance – a full team effort by a well prepared squad
An excellent foundation for the next step
LikeLike
Haha yeah, I put my foot down on that one, George. Only half praising Abou? Enough is enough!
LikeLike
Thanks for the report George. I’ve just watched the game for the first time as I was otherwise engaged yesterday. Maybe it’s watching it when you already know the score and are more relaxed that you actually see things a little differently. I don’t get some of the criticism of Diaby that I have seen around the place? For a player just back from injury I thought he was fine and got stronger and more involved as the game wore on. He did not give the ball away more than any other player and his partnership with Arteta meant that we were very solid in midfield, which is what we needed to start with. I also thought his substitution was the right move at the right time given that it was his first game for a while and we also needed that change of momentum late on in the game.
I agree that Theo was a little off today. I think against Swansea his pace is less of an asset as you need players who are more comfortable passing and holding on to possession. I don’t feel that Giroud had a bad game. He did not get much in the way of supply, but his ball winning from goal kicks is exceptional except when he is being unfairly impeded he practically wins everything. And some of his passing and interplay with his team mates is top quality. He was also involved in both goals. I would say that is a satisfactory team performance from him. You can’t always be the star, but if you contribute to the overall performance then you deserve the credit.
Santi was outstanding and apart from that one dodgy pass that led to a good chance for Michu, Jenks was solid. I think as he begins to feel more confident in his defending, we will see more of him as an attacking threat. It seems like at the moment he is reluctant to take chances further forward and understandably plays it safe, which is probably the right thing to do at this stage of his development.
All in all a good day’s work. Pray for no injuries in the international waste of time games, while those who stay behind work on their game to keep them sharp for the other cup finals.
LikeLike
On an afternoon in the near future Abou will produce the decisive match winning performance we know he has on him
Fact
LikeLike
Lets see what they have to say on Sunday Supplement now. They are talking Arsenal…..
LikeLike
Well done John Cross, Arsenal only need to buy a completely new spine……
LikeLike
Martin Samuel….Continental teams do not know how to play second legs against teams they lead by a big margin….It has nothing to do with how well Arsenal played. Arsenal are way behind Bayern in every sense…pack up and go home boys….you are POSITIVELY deluded….
LikeLike
Martin Samuel is just a useless fat git.
I would kick him until my foot hurt
LikeLike
Typically John Cross…”although the stats say otherwise Giroud is not really good enough” (words to that effect)
LikeLike
I don’t have the fortitude to watch the Sunday Supplement. Just arseholes chatting amongst themselves.
Great post- match, George
…and I agree with Passenal
LikeLike
Frank
Patrick Barclay is a class pundit. He is highly intelligent always fair and has more strength of character than almost all other pundits. I also place Oliver Holt in a similar category. It’s worth watching when they are on. Sometimes, we the “positivistas” do need to listen to another point of view….
LikeLike
Nice one PG..
&
Well-summarized there Anicoll,
“An extremely professional performance – a full team effort by a well prepared squad
An excellent foundation for the next step.”
It always feels extra special when the goals come from unusual suspects.
I just always feel so good when that happens and I see that telling smile from AW…
such a decent man, our gaffer
Just when the pretenders are losing steam, our boys step it up a notch
“Pray for no injuries in the international waste of time games, while those who stay behind work on their game to keep them sharp for the other cup finals.”
1 down, 9 to go.
May the force remain strong with our gunners
RASERS!
LikeLike
Incidentally, Barclay is on record (I heard him) say that Wenger is his favourite manager to have worked in the Premier League. So if he has something less positive to say it worth listening to. But he has never been dismissive about Arsenal as a club and business or Wenger as a manager. He always puts his comments into context. He seems to be one of the few that can really grasp what it takes to achieve what Arsenal and Arsene have achieved over the last 8 years.
LikeLike
I will leave that to you,GP, I have had my fill of hacks’ opinions. Simply not interested. Don’t need them.
LikeLike
i can not stop laughing with the change of goal posts …….its about the “debate”….
didnt you know george ..the internet was given to mankind for world wide debates via keyboards on all matters regardless ..
booohoooo haters… flip . flip and then another .. 🙂
happy st patrick;s day …off to drink and eat and drink … today i love fulham.
LikeLike
One hack throwing us a bone is nothing to get excited about. Fuck em all.
LikeLike
Nice one George.
I shall manfully refrain from gloating. Was a top performance nonetheless. Not really much to add. I don’t think you can really underestimate how impressive those two results were though. most doubted we’d get anything, let alone two wins and clean sheets to boot. The confidence is there right now. Marvellous.
The most perceptive participants on Sunday Supplement have always been the croissants. I haven’t the heart for it either. Arsene has probably forgotten more about football than those assembled hacks will ever know.
LikeLike
Hi George. Is this what you call gloating? Even tempered, balanced review and I approve. Your last sentence sums it all “Positively bloody fantastic.” Just think about it; instead of spending the next two weeks with that gnawing sense of dread of our prospects amplified by the oppressive negativity of the media and our AAA blogs, the pressure is now firmly on the Spuds and the Chavs no matter how they pretend otherwise. Momentum is turning in our favor.
GP – I don’t mind your exposure of the hacks but we are surrounded by the “negativistas” 99% of the time. My day starts at PA then I have the fortitude to read all the other b.s. elsewhere. Cheers mate.
LikeLike
Diaby’s 1st game in ages yet he is being lambasted.
Gervinho creates havoc running at tired defenders and is crucified for one loose pass.
Ramsey is now a crucial utility player who can be effective almost anywhere on the pitch.
Safe-handski on the verge of reclaiming the No. 1 shirt from Scezzer.
When will our own supporters learn to stop dogging our players and giving them that vital catalyst called positive support?
LikeLike
Passenal – you are 100% correct. Watch the game at your leisure when the tension and desperation are over and you get an entirely different perspective. It’s what the moaners and fence sitters and doomers are too slow to grasp. Their anxiety blinds them when the match is live. It does for many of us. But most of us have the brains to see that and so refrain from sweeping judgements.
LikeLike
Love it, pg!
@ Passenal
“Maybe it’s watching it when you already know the score and are more relaxed that you actually see things a little differently. ”
I wouldn’t do it any other way – unless it’s a big cup game, I prefer to listen along and then watch later. Totally different perspective. And I agree with your comments 100%.
LikeLike
Great read George. It was a very professional performance from a tired and weakened side at a ground where few teams have left with all 3 points. (Only Norwich and Everton in fact, until yesterday.)
I think Giroud is a player not getting enough credit for the job he does. Consciously or otherwise fans compare him to the last incumbent and he can’t live up to that. He may not (yet) be a predator in front of goal but he’s an important cog in the Arsenal machine, much like Chamakh was in his first 6 months here, and makes decisive contributions almost every game he plays. Despite not having a great game he played a part in both goals at Swansea.
LikeLike
I agree with Frank at 11.14 am
LikeLike
I completely agree with you on Gervinho, George. Yesterday he played with the same amount of confidence I saw in him during the ACN. Tail up, cocky on the ball, taunting his marker and an assured touch. His first touch for the goal yesterday reveals a player who is sure of himself.
I don’t know about you guys, but I thought Giroud played just as well as he did against Munich. He kept the ball, won every ball in the air and combined very well with his teammates. He’s fast becoming one of our best players.
Aaron Ramsey, for all the shit he gets is one of the best 22 year olds on the planet. Just look how well he communicates with the likes of Cazorla and Arteta. These guys were brought up playing football the right way and have been at it for way longer than Aaron, but he looks just as good as they are. I’m sure that if you ask them two how good Aaron is, compared to other early twenties players, they’d tell you that he’s one of the best.
Carl Jenkinson helps ease my anxiety over Sagna not signing a new contract. There, I said it. I can’t believe that boy went from playing conference football just two years ago, to playing against a team like Bayern Munich in the Champions league and looking like one of the best players on the pitch. Yesterday against Swansea he didn’t put a foot wrong.
Diaby had a good game for someone who has been injured for the better part of the season. He still has that 747 taking off look about him when he makes those bursts up from deep in the midfield. If I could do anything to satisfy the football gods so he could stay healthy, I’d do it.
Last but not least is Fabianski, or Safehandski as he’s being called now. The fact that he’s doing well is sure to chafe the buttholes of many a doomer. To them I’d like to say: look out for him now that his big blunders are behind him. That boy is a good keeper.
LikeLike
Diaby tweaked open some time and space in the Swans D-Fence for Arsenal’s first attempt (Chambo shot off the bar), same as he did in the build up against the Villans for Santi’s opener. Even when he’s not 100%* he’s still a good option to have to come in 3 days after Rambo put in the most yards (probably) of all the players on the pitch on Wednersday. Squad depth innit. Or is that a bad thing now?
* Just like little Jacky earlier this season, three four games will be needed to bring out more consistency, stamina & confidence. Glad to see him avoiding that shot with his right (i think) unitl he’s ready.
Deschamps was once described as a Water Carrier (It wasn’t a form of flattery!). He captained his team to WC victory. Diaby is one of the first names down on his team sheet. Still. Not because he has a D**M that can destroy but because he is a water carrier par excellence. A water carrier with some silly skills, with some bling bells and whistles. In short, a very good midfielder. Deschamps should know.
LikeLike
Did Sagna not once say Diaby was the best player in the French national team?
LikeLike
I wonder whether some people are comparing Diaby to the Diaby that ran riot against Liverpool and ManCity. He is not playing at that level yet, but as a midfielder he is still very good.
LikeLike
George, I don’t remember that comment from Sagna. But it is fair to conclude from what has been said that the French team would like Diaby to be in their squad for Brazil.
LikeLike
Berbatov!
LikeLike
i love berbatov…. dat is all for now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LikeLike
Easy with the gloating. No jinxes please!
LikeLike
Come on, Fulham!!!!!!
LikeLike
hence i added for now… no gloating at all until end end end, even if we do take advantage we still have a point gap. so really no gloating
LikeLike
Sorry TS didn’t see your comment before.
Come on Fulham!
–
Chelsea one up.
LikeLike
great post George, great time to do a post on the positives now we’ve ended the trophy drought, after ARSENE said we had ten cup finals to go its nice to get one in the bag, here’s to the next nine. ten trophies at the end of the season would be fantastic
LikeLike
Three losses on the bounce for Spuds. If we win our game in hand their lead is cut to just one.
Now I’m off to watch Chelsea draw against West Ham.
By the way, Fuck yeah, Mark Shwartzer.
LikeLike
ok then we are nearer than when we first began… beat everton and we are 1 point behind spurs
LikeLike
I just can’t stop smiling
LikeLike
heh
LikeLike
Oh Sp*rs! Best Sp*rs team since the world stopped being in black and white and they still manage to bottle it. I am not surprised one bit. This needs to be extra motivation for the boys, keep focus and perform in the next 9 cup finals and we will finish 3rd, that’s guaranteed.
LikeLike
Is that Team Spirit I see drop in with the Positivistas? Big respect and welcome. Mind the Collapse is the in-thing for 2013. What a wonderful weekend gor all Gooners. Can’t stop laughing at the Spuds.
LikeLike
Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. “There’s many a slip twixt cup and lip”.
LikeLike
Can I take the credit for coining the term ‘positivistas’ ?
LikeLike
Here’s Chelsea’s next six games:
Away at Southampton.
Home against Sunderland.
Home against Spuds.
Away to Liverpool.
Home against Swansea.
Away at Manchester United. They could have the title sewn up and play a crap side.
I can see us leap frog them and land in third.
LikeLike