A game every few days for our boys at the moment and with injuries coming as thick and fast as actors on the set of a grumble flick it has been a testing time. Has been and looks set to continue to be. Just when you think it’s safe to contemplate the future the dreaded international blight looms on the horizon and prepares to sink it’s teeth into whatever unspoiled flesh is left in our ravaged squad. How to cope with the situation? My approach to this and indeed to life in general is to adopt a kind of dark optimism. The thought process runs along these lines – ‘life will always serve up more than it’s fair share of shit sandwiches for us and so we had just as well celebrate every small mercy that actually does, or may possibly, come our way’. So it is in that spirit I’m going to celebrate the news that Theo’s gut wrench will not keep him out for long but will at least keep him out long enough to escape Roy’s clutches. The other sliver of silver I’m squinting to focus on is that if we somehow manage to continue to field an eleven of sufficient strength to keep our noses in front or at least on the shoulder of the leaders then the return of the wounded could come at precisely the right moment. I’m going out onto a pretty narrow and less than robust limb here but just stay with me.
Imagine the scenario where in a couple of months time our depleted but doughty first eleven are still in contention but by now are carrying minor niggles, getting seriously tired and starting to flag; battling to see out their games. Then picture the necessary shot in the arm of their wounded comrades returning to the fray, like the cavalry coming over the hill just in time to inject the needed energy back into our title challenge. Thin? Hopeful? Even myopically optimistic? Well, perhaps a little. It’s akin to a blindfolded tightrope walker walking a succession of ropes and not knowing if his support team have finished putting the next one up. If everything comes together just right it’ll be a stroll, a walk in the park albeit a highly skilled superbly trained walk in a park full of hungry predators. If not he’ll fall off the end.
Oh by the by, before I stray into the dense forest of metaphor overload, or at least before I wander farther into it, I ought to mention that so impressed were you with last week and my attempt to write a blog whilst simultaneously watching Arsenal’s calm demolition of Olympic Marseilles that I’m having another stab at it this evening. As we speak our brave lads are striding out onto the pitch at one of the country’s great historic football grounds. Unlike us, Albion have been at their home for well over a century and although much reduced since sixty thousand watched them take on Arsenal in the FA Cup back in the thirties the Hawthorns is still one of those grounds that provides a link in the chain of nostalgia joining this evening’s game with my childhood football memories. The soil in which the seed of footy mania was so deeply planted was well watered with the names of Jeff Astle, Brendan Batson, Willie Johnston, Brian Robson and Laurie Cunningham. I’ve never wished the Baggies any harm, but I hope they fail tonight. They’ve started brightly enough but a typical Arsenal diddly-cup line up blending youth with experienced players returning from the crock shop ought to have enough to dampen their enthusiasm.
Returning if I may to my earlier theme and looking at the back six tonight I can’t help but wonder if our improved ability to cope with this latest injury crisis might not be down to one simple break with history. In the past we have been hit with a concatenation of injuries to players skilled in similar positional rôles. Remember when there were no healthy fullbacks in the entire club? When all the centre backs were out at once? This time around the defence has remained pretty well in one piece or at least with sufficient healthy cover to cope with the odd setback. This is so important. A bedrock on which the midfield and attack can flourish, no matter how raggedy assed they may sometimes appear, with the occasional youth team player thrust in to plug a sudden unexpected gap. Not, you understand, that I disparage last weekend’s performance of the jugendlich Herr Gnabry. I thought the lad grew into his first team shirt against Stoke with a strength and maturity that belied his tender years. It just isn’t ideal to be so reduced as to have to depend on such inexperience, but then we’ve always been cursed with ill luck where injuries are concerned and must strive to overcome regardless.
Fifteen minutes have elapsed and the game is pretty evenly balanced. Both sides looking to attack and our youngsters not overawed at all at their elevation to the first eleven. Hayden is particularly cool on the ball and strong in the tackle and with Per and Mikel out there they have more than enough experience around them to weather the Albion’s early pressure and get their passing game going. I’m very excited to see Ryo motoring down the wing and Eisfeld is a fantastic prospect. Also I like the way Jenks hugs the touchline. He is so disciplined and really stretches the opposition but when it comes to forward players all eyes are of course on Big Nic.
This is a subject out of which I have stayed ever since provoking some truly silly reactions on twitter a while back. When it became obvious that Arsene’s attempts to sign an understudy for Olivier Goal A Game Giroud were likely to be frustrated, Nic had to forgoe his own move, dust off the red and white and give of his best for the team. Given that he would therefore remain an Arsenal player all I dared to suggest was that we as supporters must drop the feeble name calling that had become sadly fashionable and support him as we ought any player who pulls on the shirt. The most popular reaction was that people might grudgingly consider being oh so kind as to grant him some semblance of non committal approval if and only if he earned it. If in some way he was able to prove to these super important ultra fans that he was in fact worthy of the enormous honour of their backing then they might not boo him. What a bunch of sanctimonious self important half baked non supporters they really are. The idea that they might simply get behind all of our players without any reservation because, whatever their private thoughts, that would be for the benefit of the team they purport to follow seemed a thought too far for them.
Needless to say here at PA we support Arsenal players because we support Arsenal. Life is so simple when you remove your own pathetic fragile ego from the equation isn’t it? Thirty four minutes gone and Isaac and Nacho have both been booked, the tackles starting to fly in. As might be expected West Brom are giving it their all. At home, in the only competition they have a realistic hope of winning against a somewhat disjointed Arsenal side who as yet have shown in flashes but failed to gel. I need to stop writing and watch this, sorry. It’s getting too tense, too difficult to look two ways at once. Marseilles was a doddle compared to this one. This has the look and feel of one of those old cup ties from the seventies. Lots of huff puff and heavy sliding tackles but little cohesive skill. I shall come back to you a little later.
Well it’s more than a little later. In fact it’s bloody hours later. Kelly will be waking up soon at this rate. It went to penalties in the end. You probably know the outcome. I don’t like penalties. I don’t think they add anything to the spectacle, and would actually prefer a coin toss. It would have a certain neat symmetrical bookend effect with the coin toss with which the match began. Also the damage it can do to a young player’s confidence should he fail to score is out of all proportion to his error. Not only that but it’s extremely unfair as missing a penalty isn’t really a mistake. It is such an entirely different skill that if we must have them there should be specialists wheeled out to take them. Like in biblical times where armies would send out individual champions to duke it out in lieu of a major battle thus sparing a lot of unnecessary bloodshed. As far as tonight’s entertainment is concerned I was glad to see returning players getting the game time they desperately needed, especially Big Nic who is obviously lacking match fitness, sorry to see Mikel Arteta limp out of the match and happy to see the kids get valuable experience. That’s all you can say really. Apart that is from how utterly delicious it was to hear the devastated disappointment in the voice of the Sky apparatchik when the final result was, at long long last, achieved.
Positively Arsenal 
Good morning STEWW. wonderful day today, isn’t it.????
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What can I say?
I could read a recipe if Stew wrote it.
” Life is so simple when you remove your own pathetic fragile ego from the equation isn’t it?”
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ZIMPAUL
thanks for answer. DENNIS was of course a great one. All time favorite of mine. I’ll watch young EISFELD more clinically than . now that I read what you wrote . And I pray that he gets every opportunity and every bit of luck to achieve that level of professionalism and artistry that was BERGKAMP. we would truly be the lucky ones for it. From your mouth to gods ears.
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Good morning GEORGE. hope all is well with you. Does this manager and this team ever cease to amaze you?? I’m so proud of them. Each and every one. Even BENDY.
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For a first game back after 2 years away and having been completely out of shape,Nic did great.
He fits our system perfectly
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If you were a violin you would be a Stradivarius Stew – good piece
An excellent result on the back of a very hard working performance from the all the players. Most impressed that the youngsters had the bottle to take the penalties when more senior players appear to have hung back – yes Thomas I am looking at you.
I thoroughly enjoyed listening to last night’s game on the radio and the contribution of Phil Brown to the broadcast was a highlight.
His comment that Bendtner was finding it difficult to get into the action because the Arsenal midfield were “too pedantic” during the first half was a pearl.
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Bendy has played a few of those juicy through balls before, most for Theo.
You could see him settling in as the game went on before he tired, same with Ryo and one or two others.
Akpom impressed in pre-season although the usual squibs commented on the opposition. He looked a terror for the West Brom defence last night. That run…brilliant stuff from the kid. Seventeen!
Very impressed by Nacho last night, not just his own game but his leadership too. Another feather in the cap for Arsene Vulture (PLAN, EH? SORRY WHAT PLAN?)
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Top class post as usual Steww. The part about removing ones ego as a supporter was particularly powerful. I’m enjoying your eefforts writing whilst following the game. Its a unique style as far as I have seen and really draws the reader in
What a win. I was on the bus to work. We were two behind on penalties on the BBC feed when I first checked it. And I thought, this team will probably win despite this. And so they did. The confidence and tenacity of the first team is sealing into the youth. I said to my arsenal supporting mate who sits next to me at work. If given a fair footing by the referees, who in Europe can touch arsenal? Not many at the moment and that list grows ever shorter.
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Excellent results all around. The game last night, of course, another fantastic piece from Steww and removal of that confounded title of the last piece…Now off to a boring Unit meeting here at work…..
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Always a ‘sliver of silver’ from you Steww. terrific piece.
The shoo-out win will boost those kids confidence no end.
A necessary gamble from the Alsatian – but it paid off.
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GP – don’t forget to keep a tune in you head for the meeting……
I’m on top of the world looking down on creation/……
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Nice one Stew – you’ve single-handedly invented an entirely new writing genre!
The Contemporaneous Retrospective is not one many could pull off with such aplomb but it IS compulsive reading, even hours after the event.
Georgaki – I’ve banned myself from referencing Hector Bellerin as I’m in danger of appearing to be a mad man. And nobody wants that.
But he and Eisfeld look like they will grace some very big stages in the years ahead.
Is all I’ll say.
But Chuba looks a monster and Serge IS a monster – his coolness during his weekend appearance against the Orcs was quite remarkable. Not even Huth’s courageous assault could properly wind him …
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Lovely again, stew. We just can’t stop winning, can we?
Rosicky is back in a week, maybe less, Cazorla in ten days or so I believe, and of course Theo within a month, but the others are two months and more away.
I hope Ramsey is allowed to miss the next international – I don’t think Wales can qualify now anyway, can they?
@ pedantic george September 26, 2013 at 9:07 am
You picked exactly the same sentence that I was going to quote!
It all comes down to that – ego. Whether it’s bloggers who get too big for their boots, fans who think they are entitled to bragging rights or reflected glory in which to bask, others who take it as a personal slight if we lose, yet others who believe their expertise in Fifa 13 or Football Manager (or whatever it’s called) or holding a season ticket gives them a platform to decide football matters on an equal footing with the manager…. I could go on.
People, it’s not about you, it’s about the club.
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I agree Andrew.
This novel way of writing whilst watching is pure genius.
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Bendtner’s link-up play has always been one of his strengths.
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@ ArsenalAndrew September 26, 2013 at 10:34 am
great comments
And does anyone else want to join the Bellerin fan club?
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@ double canister September 26, 2013 at 10:20 am
“A necessary gamble from the Alsatian – but it paid off.”
For a minute there, I thought, how does a German Shepherd fit into this? Is this a Carpenters’ song title I don’t know?
(chuckle)
Up The Arsenal!
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FunGunner
Sometimes we can run out of euphemisms for Arsene Wenger.
I like the Alsatian one, it’s new, it represents a bit of tenacity I feel he’s oft not credited with having.
Well done to the travelling support, they got fully behind Nikky B.
Dennis knows what time of the night they got back to London.
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Lovely stuff Steww. Fine writing as ever.
I must say Bendy surprised me last night, not just with his, er, interesting new Vietnam veteran / Samurai / just out of rehab look, but with the way he appears to have gotten himself into back into shape, and he seemed up for it from the off. He had a pretty good game as well. Maybe he has taken that road to redemption after all, the talent was always there. A lot of folks think he’s used his chances up, but hey, being a soft-hearted git I believe in second (third, fourth..) chances. Go Bendy.
Anyway, mostly just elated for the kids, and the way they hung on. I also loathe penalties, and find it can be a horribly unjust way to decide a contest (and no, I can’t actually think of a better way right now…). I suppose it’s a test of nerve in the end, and they held theirs with aplomb. And that will have done their confidence the world of good.
The unbeaten run continues. Oh yes it does.
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eerrrr, #euphemism as in a positive way.
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Morning Harry
A bit of Monty Python for you, in case you missed it a few days ago:
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gb_qHP7VaZE&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Dgb_qHP7VaZE
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Thanks for the kind words. I’ll attempt to keep up the contemporaneous retrospectives (brilliant Andrew) whenever I can but when the match is close and tense it is bloody difficult to pull off.
Word of the day from this post by the way is concatenation and I expect you all to be using it from now on.
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If Bendtner applies himself and helps the team,I cant understand why we should not get behind him.
We forgave Flamini,and we would have forgiven Cesc,for sure.
He was a boy FFS.
I was a shit at his age (i know I know,I still am,leave it!)
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The interesting thing about Bendtner’s genuinely good run out last night is what does it mean ?
Did he lay at least the first brick in a return to contention as a first team starter ? Given the amount of football Giroo has played surely there is an argument that having a second striker starting occasionally, or replacing our French spearhead after an hour is good policy ?
Or in spite of 120 minutes will Nick be placed back in his box only to emerge for another second string run out – as was Chamakh’s fate after the Reading game last year when he scored twice ( in fact I dint think he played again)
One performance does not provide compelling evidence either way but I want to see more of our Nick
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Concatenation really is a jolly good word isn’t it; perfectly sums up our ‘traditional’ spate of injury woes …
Looking forward to celebrating a concatenation of cups and honours with this present squad though.
(See what I did there? Marvelous things, dictionaries).
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Morning DC. Very good. I shall make no comment though….
True George. If he scores for us, then people will very quickly forget about any past misdemeanors. I can understand some people’s ire though. as I believe he said he didn’t want to play for Arsenal again. or something along those lines. Cardinal sin. Still if we are going to condemn folks for every rash and silly thing they may have said in the past, then most of us will have to head for the hills..
It’s up to it him. If he scores a few goals, and then leaves in January or whenever, well then at least he’ll have been of some use to us. If he stays and keeps his head down and eventually proves his potential…..who knows.
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Who knows indeed Harry. As long as we make him feel loved or if that’s too far for you at least wanted, then why can’t he do well? No reason at all. He has a real eye for a sublime pass and that is a key Wengerball component.
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Speaking of targets of the boo boys I saw Gervinho describe by a Roma fan as “showing the sort of form he had before signing for Arsenal” and going on to praise the Ivorian for his part in Roma’s 5 game 15 point table top run in Serie A.
(pokes out trembling lower lip )
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Steww,
you mellifluously fingered wordsmith you.
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Harry
‘ twas a full moon and all that. (*cough).
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Well Steww, as soon as a player puts the shirt on they have my full support, as ever. And yeah he has always had that eye for the killer pass (as the first goal last night will attest). Won’t be in any way easy for him to reassert himself, as ‘Coll points out there, but stranger things have happened. And of course, Arsene is the right manager to achieve that.
Ttfn (Did I really just type that? shoot me)
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Fantastic as always Stew,I too had to endure Phil Tango browns commentry on BBCRadio 5 xtra, he did indeed call our possession pedantic (twice in fact!), the anti Arsenal agenda from the Beeb & SKY always warms my cockles,fancy employing a man like Brown who a couple of years ago on bbc radio said English players didn’t like playing abroad because their homophobic, explaining they didn’t like playing abroad!
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Mel
Maybe Mr. Tango Brown is a fan of our very own PG and meant it as a complement?
What exactly is a pedantic midfield?
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“What exactly is a pedantic midfield?”
One that acts like a petulant prick when you disagree with him?
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I dunno. The guy always was a cringe-inducing plank. Good for a laugh though, which could never be said of one Tony Pubis, whom the BBC also recently found fit to employ. I nearly smashed the radio on that occasion. If it hadn’t been a swanky new digital job I’d only just bought, it would have been out the window, I’m telling ya.
Arse.
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I think the poor sod was searching for ‘pedestrian’ but you can never be sure with Phil
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To be fair I accidently jumped a red light the other day at a pedantic crossing,I’m sure it wasn’t red or green,may have been Tango though!
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Don’t forget danny higginbotham!
There are hidden benefits. The former Manc. and Stoke legend referred to Slurgus as The Godfather during one game. Can’t imagine why. Bit of a slip there Danny. Cheers! Heh.
And then there was Claridge on the league cup show last night. *bites lip*
Nigel Winterburn will do for me 🙂
Our eternal gratitude towards Limestone for ridding Arsenalplayer of that bitter fool and liar Robson.
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Nice one, Stew.
Now that Bendy is making his way back from exile via samurai training camp, I’m looking forward to seeing what he has learned at Juve and Sunderland – as long as it doesn’t involve keys, cars or pizzas. I’m hoping that his change of number correlates to a reduction in ego. If he gets his head down and applies himself, he has the ability to do great things.
FG: a Hector fan club? Surely that must be the Bellerinas! (*heads for the door*)
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Your point about the stability in defence is a good one, Stew. When we have the young guns playing in midfield and attack, they probably make just as many mistakes as when they play at the back, but the mistakes higher up the pitch are (usually) less costly.
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Wow, there are some happy puppies on here today……
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Billy – yes indeed that was my point. You made it more neatly than me! Jenks, Per, TV and Nacho are first team players in my opinion as is Fab behind them and Art in front of them so we had a good platform last night. Allowing for the fact that two were returning from injury and three haven’t had much game time.
I thought Jenks was an absolute monster last night.
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The gallery of photos on Arsenal.com are FANTASTIC! They really captured what the victory meant to the players….I love Chuba….
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Just watched the highlights on bbc iplayer-the disappointment in commentator Jon Champions voice when Nacho slams home his winning penalty is hilarious,I bloody love Arsenal!
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Arsenal_F.C._seasons
– from a club that sporadically achieved top spots …to the high class professionalism and preparation required as a group to enable you to ALWAYS go for the top. EVERY year. NOT 1st in one year and 12th the next. Continuity at the top level is the class i refer to, – not mannerisms, behaviours, floodlights, tubestops, or whether presidents/owners and managers/players went to tea parties with suits and ties and nicely polished shoes …..
– there are drivers/pilots like say button and massa…good, solid, might win a title if they go for it …once or twice….and then there are schummachers whose mindframe will go for the title EVERY season irrespective of a good car or not. there is a difference in class and attitude and application.
– the class to compete at the highest of levels for so long and with such consistency and with the sense of moral superiority of playing football the right way (without sly destructive cheeky cheating football) is something that the current Manager has brought to the club.
– even when we clearly were not at our best ( after losing key players) or even ready as a team ( too young and inexperienced) and with a stadium to repay ( financial limitations), Wenger kept the club in the mindframe of ALWAYS striving for the top. a champion’s attitude.
i just felt i had to stress the difference in what class you were referring to and what class i was referring to after the patronising misunderstandings on class and history of 48hrs ago…..
bendtner…that hair and that beard and chewing gum while taking penalty enough to enter the pantheon of legends.
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You did a bit of patronising yourself Hunter.
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http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/team-news-who-s-fit-to-face-swansea-
No new injuries yet from last night, everyone from Saturday is OK, Rosicky pencilled in for a comeback at Napoli. Don’t we all feel even better now?
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Hunter
Its clear that Arsenal’s history on the pitch has had its peaks and troughs.
We didn’t win anything for the first 44 years! – Not that anyone on here was around to see it. (just about for some!).
Chapman made Arsenal famous in the 1930’s then then war and austerity held back Arsenal.
I have absolutely no idea why Arsenal were so shit in the sixties. I must read more about this on Untold myself.
The double in ’71 led to a period of rebuilding, then a good run at the end of the 70’s.
Again – back to abject mediocrity in the early-to-mid 80’s coincided with some of the best players leaving for bigger clubs.
You know as much about Graham-Rioch-Wenger as I do, so there is no need to cover that ground.
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http://www.uefa.com/memberassociations/uefarankings/club/index.html
for europe now . you will note that we have dropped from 6th to 7th. but to me the important notes are that the 6 above us are all holders of the trophy ( once or multiple) and there are many below us who have also won it.
arsenal is enjoying a status of being among the top teams of europe without ever winning the damn thing….. we sit next to or even above clubs who have won it……
such seedings are accomplished when you change as a club from class/category c or d to class/category a…..
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Rumours suggest Poldi may be back sooner than expected.
rumours ehh.
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