Today’s preview is from Vidur Sawhney, the main man among our friends over at “OOOh! To Be A Gooner!!“
So I’m sitting here staring at my laptop at the end of a very tiring day, pondering about how to proceed with the preview for the match tomorrow. And as with all exhausted my minds, my thoughts are wandering down every path imaginable. It’s got me thinking about how we’ve reached here. Boy, WHAT a season it has been thus far. For a defeatist, a naysayer, a cynic nay a moaner doomer, the summary of our journey is “we suck, we won’t win, sell everybody, buy everybody and Wenger out!”. Well, if you’re one such person, I request you to kindly give yourself a swirly. Your head truly belongs there.
It certainly hasn’t been an easy season. We started the campaign on a good steady note with a set of solid defensive performances, but slipped up in the middle as the team’s relative unfamiliarity and lack of chemistry and cohesion began to show. The best of teams have off days; you just can’t win them all and a couple of missteps along the way saw the confidence drop. Add the “encouragement” from certain sections of Arsenal “supporters” to that (rather miserable) mixing pot and you have the recipe for disaster! Ordinary teams would crumble in a similar situation. But on the contrary, we got back up in time, dusted ourselves off and have gone back right into the thick of it. We’ve shown our mental strength, heart and desire, and we’ve started to come together as a team, showing the chemistry and cohesion that was lacking earlier in the season. We’ve also started to prove why we’re a cut above many others (though quite how people earlier in the season could fathom us finishing below the likes of those like our opponents today is beyond me). Currently on a streak where we’ve gained 19 points out of the last 24 and are on a run of 3 straight wins across all contests, we’ve picked the perfect time to go on a good run of form as we get to the business end of the season.
We have eight fixtures left to secure our Champions League ambitions, and I’m prepared to bet my left nut we’ll make it there as always. While the team just needs to get its head down and do its job in every game, I would also like to beseech each and every one of you to do your job as well. How? Simple, just get behind your team wholeheartedly and vocally whether it is in the stadium, at the pub or in front of your TV or Laptop. The team has the quality but it can use all the positive vibes and support it can get to give it an extra edge to push it smoothly into the Top 4 which makes a potentially promising summer (if you take heed of all the smoke from various directions) into a certainty.
Moving onto this week’s game; we face West Bromwich Albion at the Hawthorns this Saturday, in what promises to be an exciting encounter. For us. We’re in a rich vein of form as we travel away to the West Midlands and I can see us easily getting three points from the fixture. The team have been putting together one assured performance after the other, and I feel that the Bayern Munich game was a turnaround point for our season. We’ve only lost one game in the previous six, and have gained 20 points of the last 24 that have been up for grabs and we currently find ourselves in a very promising position; just two points adrift of fourth place in the League with a much simpler fixture list in the closing stages compared to the two immediately above us.
The Baggies on the other hand, started the season with a bang under new manager Steve Clark. But as with all middle table teams, they’ve not been able to maintain any consistency as the season wore on and find themselves in an unenviable eighth position in the league. Their current form is rather abysmal, losing 3 and drawing another game out of their last 6. Furthermore, the absence of Mulumbu, their primary midfield enforcer due to suspension will seriously hurt their chances against the quality we have in our midfield.
Last time we faced them, we beat them rather easily at the Emirates with a 2-0 scoreline that actually flattered them considering the number of chances we had. The Baggies will be undone on account of three factors today: Our defence will nullify Lukaku, their midfield will be neutralised by our central trio who will have them chasing shadows with their passing movement and possession (further limited supply to Lukaku), and we’ll play swift, attacking football that the Arsenal have always been synonymous with. We should get the three points and watch Bale FC crumble without their first team tomorrow against Everton. You heard it here first. UTA and have a great weekend everyone.
Positively Arsenal 
@FG
One. Professional foul.
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Phew.
Three points!
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The guys played with real spirit. Fuck what the media spins, I watched it and these players put their bodies and careers on the line for the team. Fair play to West Brom, I didn’t see too much deliberate malice, but Howard Webb is a disgrace. If I ever meet him, let him be wary, the clinical and calculating cheat that he is. Karma catches all men.
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BFG made it tight for us, but I’m so glad we got the three points.
The team was immense. From Fabianski to Giroud, they were all excellent.
Spuds better mind the fucking gap.
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Thanks, Evil – phew.
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On the up side,That will galvanise us and remind the lads that you cant take liberties.
It was a great win in the end .But it should have been an easy win.
My nerves are jangled.
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how if you have a defender either side of you and the ball is going away from the striker can it ever be deemed as last man, webb is a disgrace and if he is not being paid then !%$)&**%^£%*
come you toffees and blackshirts oops blackcats
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I don’t think we were taking liberties but we had worked very hard in the first half and we had just stopped pressing as much especially when albion started long ball when lulu came on, we were strugllingh to deal with those long balls but like I say if we had a half decent ref we wouldn’t have struggled at all
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Phew, sounds like it was closer than it should have been, but we have the 3 points in the bag and at this point in the season, that is what counts. I’m very happy for Rosicky, those goals will be great for his confidence.
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TR7 with a brace, another assist by Gerve…if Ramsey had scored that chance, it would have been Deadwood 3-0 Doubters.
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passenal it was very close in the end lulu had a great shout for a goal that would have made me row the boat or shake a broomstick!
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Fun you are killing me:
“…would have been Deadwood 3-0 Doubters.”
Of course the Doubters have now run underground silently cursing George and the Positivistas.
Lord that was nerve jangling. How about that mental strength!
Hard to choose a Manof the Matcch but I loved the heart shown by Fab, Nacho and Kozzer. Immense.
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If Fabianski’s distributing had not been dire he would have been MOTM for me .But as it is the wonderful TR7 takes the biscuit
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fabianski was good..but no motm..bad distribution or not.
his catching is top notch ..but general awareness still leaves a little to desire..he is playing very very well..
my one way relationship with rosickys game (hair) continues.
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koscienly and monreal were immense..
sagna’s very very high standards are slowly and slowly falling..i would keep him at the club anyway..he has too much defensive class.
giroud the fighter fought gallantly..ramsey had a good game..but he definitely should have finished that chance.
everyone played very very well..
only blot – mertesackers red..i would rather leave the striker free on goal than make that challege..but hey what do i know eh?
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poor bale..
spurs will spin themselves out of contention like a punctured balloon. serves them right.
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I thought they all worked so hard in the first half and dropped a little in the second, I have taken giroud and santi off and got gerv to chase the ball into the channels instead off trying to kick long and high only for the wba cbs to win most things in the airoliver just wasn’t able to hold the ball up long enough. anyway we won and im not ARSENE
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“only blot – mertesackers red..i would rather leave the striker free on goal than make that challege..but hey what do i know eh?”
Me too.
A pen and down to 10 is worse than 2
1 up with 11 men .Especially when you are outplaying them anyway.
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The sun is shining, it’s been a beautiful day. I had to find little jobs to do around the house for the last 10 minutes. I ate an entire punnet of raspberries before I tasted them! Now I can relax a bit.
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It was horrible.That last 20 minutes.
I want to enjoy it but I am squirming on my seat and my heart is going ballistic.
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Meerkats are nervous creatures you know
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Final whistle a ‘phew’ moment… Where would we be without a few phews?
Marvellous result.
Can watch tomorrow’s games in comfort and with beer and a smile.
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@ shotta
please don’t die. (insert chuckley smiley face)
@ PG and Arshavin23
(don’t those names sound good together, eh George?)
You’re absolutely right, but I don’t expect Merts had a chance to think it through, he was probably playing on defender’s instinct and fancied himself to nick the ball. He’s usually a very clean tackler.
Good point George about this game serving to remind the squad that they cannot let up for a minute, though.
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Georgaki-Pyrovolitis April 6, 2013 at 5:53 pm
I thought of our old crew when I read Fun’s “…would have been Deadwood 3-0 Doubters.”
George @ 5:33 pm
If we had won this on a canter I would have given MOTM to Little Mozart but we had nearly 25 mins of back-to-the wall stuff so MOTM to a defender. Kozzer shades it for me. Who gives a fook anyway. it was a team effort and we got three precious points.
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Can’t believe how stupid I am! Why so nervous over a game of football? Are we all this mad?
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I’m trying to get myself off the sofa and see what the rest of my family is doing. No thoughts of evening meals yet, just, is it Game of the Day on Sky!
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I would love to know whether those strange types who wish us to finish outside the top four really do? Would they be upset with today’s result?
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Of course I am referring to supposed Arsenal supporters!
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@G-P
Yes, they do. Because they want Wenger gone.
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Had to listen to that in the car, dodging between 5Live and some geegee race and daft Stan trotting out his usual nonsense from the Britannia. I shall look forward to a large glass and a leisurely review later
All is good in the world
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Fabianski’s distribution was a bit off, but he minded the goal like a champ.
Oh my god, wha a goal in the Villa game. Stoke may get relegated.
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@G69
Don’t get my hopes up!
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Wigan’s on 30 points with two games in hand and Stoke is on 34 points. They’ve got United away next, followed by QPR away and Norwich at home.
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Game of the day on Sky is us v the Baggies. I’m settling down to watch it, with a cup of Rosie lea!
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Enjoy the game GP. Not for the faint of heart live.
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Agreed Shotta. Didn’t see much of the last twenty, given I was either hiding behind the sofa or face down on the floor. Gonna watch the recording at my leisure. Sometimes the roller coaster is just too much for me!
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Not a very enjoyable first half. Arsenal were decent though.
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The Baggies are no Reading. If their coach was a little more adventurous, who knows?
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Plus they were at home and Coward Webb gave them freedom to kick us while our indiscretions usually meant straight yellow. We overcame all of that.
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I thought we coped quite well during the last 20 minutes. God help the PL when Lukaku enters his prime!
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@G-P
Thought the same. That’s Chelsea’s striker problem solved right there. I hope whoever is in charge at Chelsea deicdes to do the stupid thing and get rid of him.
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Yes Evil To us
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Chelsea will recall Lukaku and make him rot on the bench like Sturridge et al and then sell him at a loss to non rival team. Sorry George we will never get him unless he goes on strike like Gallas.
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http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/r4choice/rss.xml
love this doco, about the love of football. And how people pressuring players can ruin the flow/fun etc.
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agree with everything about lukaku..
i really like the player though..he is decently quick, strong, skillful and dribbles well..
he can develop exponentially under arsene’s tutelage.
if chelsea do decide to throw him away..we can try to cash in..imho 15 million wouldn’t be excessive spending on the boy.
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A response to Anicoll on ACLF last night. A typical example of “the glass is half empty”
“Anicoll
I love your enthusiasm but what match where you watching mate? No clear chances? What about Shane long through in the box and shoots into row z when he should have scored? What about Lukaku when the ball trickled to him and he shot wide when again should have scored? And a west brom defender heading wide when he should have scored after he was unchallenged?”
This kind on comment irritates me. Do these people expect a fucking perfect and faultless display before they start to believe?
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Really pleased Villa stuffed the orcs!
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All the pundits on Sunday Supplement expect Arsenal to qualify for the CL! They must be right heh?
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leave them be G-P, leave them be.
why don’t they see that arsenal had other good chances and simply we were the better team.
west brom has some really good players..we showed grit and resolve which can be the only reason we won the match..what with webb being the referee and all..
now isn’t that a good thing?
😐
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west brom do not have 44 points in the PL just like that..they are a solid premier league team and yesterdays win will turn out be very very important in the end.
this condescension and lack of respect for opponents plus a fking alarmingly high expectation these “fans” put on the players can do us no good really.
support arsenal through and through..arsenal will have bad moments and a far greater number of wonderful moments..live with it!!
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