Top of the league and top of the world.
I used to love cars. Spent a fortune on them over the years.
The one I loved the most was a 1966 MGB Roadster. I bought it in 1990, it had been restored lovingly to concourse condition by an enthusiast who came on hard times during that particular recession.
I saw the pictures of it before the chap had worked his magic. Even then it looked nice and he said it had always been reliable. But afterwards? Oh, it was a thing of beauty. Stainless steel wire wheels, leather upholstery – the whole nine yards.
Of course he might have not bothered and simply sold it and bought a nice new Golf GTi. Thankfully he didn’t. He worked with what he had and in the end he produced a work of art. Can you see where this is going?
Yes? Thought so.
Well our wonderful set of players are quickly turning into a thing of beauty. Just as my MGB was.
Even when, like yesterday, it’s just cruising around in second gear.
I thought yesterday was a very professional job. We started off totally dominant although never getting into top gear. After the Welsh Wizard scored the opener, we dropped back into second. And paid the price. Not that an equalizer had looked on the cards, but we had stopped dominating.
But what happened next?
Well we moved up into third again and wrested control back. And it looked like we could , if need be, move through the gears further if it became necessary. It looked to me that the many games this eleven has played recently meant they were happy to conserve energy and win with as little physical exertion as possible. That’s what we did.
Three points and top of the league.
I don’t want to go over the top in praise of the team, because it could come back to bite me on the bum.
However, I am as happy with this team and squad as I have been since 2004.
I love this bunch of lads and I love what I am seeing.
Happy days.
Positively Arsenal 
Don’t have Ritalin, but do read some football history before spouting ignorant shit.
LikeLike
New Subject:
Nacho Monreal, Just an average LB?
LikeLike
heard bellerin may get some game time against wba but jenks needs 90 mins so I wonder if he ‘ll play further forward a position some say should be his natural place
LikeLike
I hope you’re right, a_or_b, I am a big fan of that young Spaniard. He could even play in front of Jenks as a false Theo on the right – he is very fast, provides loads of assists and scores often (for a RB). And of course he would make a good defensive contribution.
LikeLike
FG he certainly can go past players easily and scores some wonderful goals
LikeLike
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/arsenal-train-ahead-of-w.b.a.-match
LikeLike
NB’s topknot makes him look like the Gaijin warrior in a Japanese historical epic.
LikeLike
Looking at those training pics, I’m beginning to think we might indeed be in for a treat with lots of the kids playing. Would AW do that for an away tie?
LikeLike
@ a_or_b
And I believe he’s still only 17.
LikeLike
“lots of the kids playing. Would AW do that for an away tie?”
With the amount of injuries we’ve got, he might have no choice. I hear Feo is out now?
LikeLike
yes, Pass 3 weeks, at least he is out of the England squad too.
Great photos Fungunner, so Ju-Young Park is alive and well.
Has Nik gone all Jedi on us?
LikeLike
I think with the games coming up and injuries weve got we have to throw the kids in and if we lose,we lose its the better long term option . The standard of youngsters now is very high and it will be good experience for them.
LikeLike
Klopp gets a one match ban, UEFA fucking Hypocrites.
(Shhh, you know who would have been banned for months).
LikeLike
mate you aint getting it plus you cant read so there is no point noone said anything about breaking ducks and i was specific in my terms that barcelona in EUROPE were known as losers …that means european competitions …you go on about domestic form doing the same mistakes fellow arsenal fans do when trying to term arsenal as a big club….forget what happens domestically…. europe is the mirror……always has been and always will be. winning it 1992 with galacticos and have three failures in ecc finals and another 4 failures or so in uefa finals …
and because it is you who is ignorant … in mediteranean countries clubs have more divisions than just football …finals for the club count for all SPORTS …..so perhaps it shoudl cross your non-ignorant mind that they have failled in other high profile sports where they have reached finals ?…… just saying…
anyway george started this on purpose to increase popularity of blog… 🙂
we both agreed to play along so we should let people know it was all staged …george keep my paycheck for charity yes? ….
LikeLike
Young Hector B has been my favourite youngster (of those that I’ve seen play live) for the last year and a bit although Chuba, Serge and Eisfeld are a close 2nd, 3rd, 4th etc.
Zelalem has mega-star potential, sadly injured, for now. When you take into account the rest of the kids not mentioned here you can only conclude we have an abundance of riches throughout the club.
Frightening, really.
For our rivals.
LikeLike
Errr no, Hunter
I accidentally started this nonsense last night.
Sorry to all.
But a bit of civility is still required to all PA peeps.
The discussion on this subject is not worth pursuing.
At least not tonight. we are all tired.
A good read of Untold’s excellent articles on Arsenal’s history is recommended, you will only learn to love this club even more!
Victory Through Harmony!
LikeLike
Er, summat different.
First Among Equals. This episode’s about Laurie Cunningham, a one-time Arsenal trainee. I’m posting it as there may be some who haven’t seen it. Laurie played for Real Mad. His colleagues and Spanish players alike didn’t like him – cos he was soooo good:
LikeLike
CREATOR: gd-jpeg v1.0 (using IJG JPEG v62), quality = 70
LikeLike
I don’t talk about football with people who know absolutely nothing about the sport. Sorry.
LikeLike
rumours starting Aaron has picked up a thigh strain
LikeLike
Fun, Bendtner looks like he was at rehab.
LikeLike
Oh come on now.
LikeLike
It could be:
Fabianski
Jenkinson Hayden/CB Tommy V Monreal
Flamini The Prince
Bellerin Gnabry Ryo
Bendtner
DC:
Better then average
By some way I think. Once we see him get a run we’ll know more.
LikeLike
He does, George. The scraggly beard, out of date hairstyle, the new, more radical ink. Dude looks like a child actor who has been through a program at a rehab center.
LikeLike
From the beeb
Chelsea’s League Cup team costs £180n.
LikeLike
*million, but you knew that.
Fucking LWC’s.
LikeLike
Does moe just hate the Spanish?
It’s the most logical explanation to the way he treats Mata & Torres.
And his record in Really Mad was similar.
LikeLike
Finsbury
Would he risk Jack, if Tommy is coming back next week?
LikeLike
double canister September 24, 2013 at 8:00 pm
well in that case our discussion has been utmost civil…noone had a go at anyone..even when words were wrongfully used….. 🙂
and dc please not you too……this has nothing to do with history…..we are talking about levels of performance as an organisation, as a team, and the sporting class to stay competitive at the highest level for 16 years like olympian pros…..arsenal had nothing to do with such ‘class’ before wenger…….we didnt know how …….and also its one thing going and doing it once or once every decade and quite different going for it ALWAYS…its the difference between schumacher and button,…the difference between seedorf and ronaldinho….whoever gets it – good for you ..if you dont – please dont patronise me… thats all…
LikeLike
Hunter,
Your on your own on this one.
Sometimes there is a difference between believing one is right, and being right.
We all know AW has vastly improved Arsenal on and off the pitch.
I’ll leave it at that.
LikeLike
Gainsbourg69 September 24, 2013 at 8:10 pm
relax encyclopedia…..relax …. 🙂 ….ok we know youre happy with ozil transfer and feel elated somehow ….but tone it down a bit with your patronising…….
LikeLike
We all know AW has vastly improved Arsenal on and off the pitch.
with class that was beyond the clubs dna ….. ill leave it at that too…
LikeLike
Goodness sake Hunter
What do you do for a living man? If if demands tenacity you are the man……
LikeLike
I’ve got an uneasy feeling we’re gong to get the spuds in the next round of this bleeden’ cup. Now that UEFA are offering a sweetener of the UEFA league winners getting into the Champions League it is surely the LWC’s best hope to get into that competition.
LikeLike
You’re not worried by that prospect are you DC? As long as some of our walking wounded are back we should be able to get past them. I see Villa are utterly useless without referee assistance, or did they deliberately throw the match because they want to concentrate on staying in the PL?
LikeLike
PASS
the latter conclusion is highly likely. I’ve never heard of half of the villa team playing tonight.
Spud fans could say the same about their team players is August.
LikeLike
George,
Have you shut the blog down for a while?
LikeLike
What do you mean DC?
We dont do an article every day.
Writing for writing sake
LikeLike
So the kids it is, then. Look upon our yutes, ye West Bromites, and tremble!
***
I am refusing to process that rumour about Aaron’s thigh strain. Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!
LikeLike
Wtf ?? THEO out 3 weeks. AARON with possible thigh strain. I really hope this is just a scheme to keep them away from the international games coming up. I don’t know. Good news regarding TOMAS & SANTIAGO.
Good discussion today . Lets keep it civil between brothers & sisters . We all love AW & THE ARSENAL and very lucky they found each other. No one can deny the extraordinary achievements of the professor while here and I doubt if he had a different club, board room or owners to work with, that he would have been as legendary a man that he is now. One thing for sure , the next manager will have to fill some big shoes and we will always be thankful to the great man that is ARSENE.
context is everything when reviewing history.
LikeLike
Goonerkam
Yeah, it looks like Arsene will have to adopt the Spanish national team formation (six midfielders) for the next few weeks.
LikeLike
Goonerkam
it seems I’m on the naughty corner over on arseblog too. Is it me or the people I associate myself with?
LikeLike
DC
you getting banned at jellystone was completely unjustifiable as was the banning of few others who were not even there at the time. You would expect a lot more from someone like yoggi. A hell of a lot more, but I guess those are the ways of dictatorship. Just get a lot of yes men and bootlickers around you and eliminate any sign of decent. Wear it like a badge of honor mate and stop reading them crap comments and posts. Its a lot better for your stress levels.
LikeLike
Brilliant posts from Arsenal Andrew. Stirring and insightful.
LikeLike
Hahaha. Poor villa striker gets his shorts ripped off his body and doesn’t get a foul called in the box. Luckily he didn’t get carded for indecent exposure. Really, nothing these idiot officials do surprises me anymore.
LikeLike
Hay, maybe the referee liked what he saw. Lol
LikeLike
Thei and Ramsey news is sobering. I hope they are both fit for Liverpool and ManU. Luckily Cazorla likely back for Napoli.
Play the kids in a fully changed side, we have Swansea and Napoli in 6 days.
For Swansea:
WS
Sagna, Merts, Kos Gibbs
Arteta Wilshere
Gnabry, Ozil, Cazorla
Giroud
LikeLike
Who would have thought I would say these words?!: I don’t think we should risk Gnabry tonight in the league cup! Injuries ravage but we’ll soldier through.
LikeLike
Good News Everyone!
Arsenal.com will be live-streaming the match tonight.
I saw our oil rich rivals playing near entirely strong first teams against the minnows last night.
Aaron?! say it ain’t so.
LikeLike
DC
It’s live audio……
LikeLike