If Man Utd had given that performance ITV’s keywords would be ‘patient’, ‘composed’, ‘professional’, ‘untroubled’, ‘comfortable’.”
There you have it.That’s how the game should have been described, but the 3 stooges on ITV (Wright,Dixon and Keane) just talked absolute bollocks . The usual shit about big tests and Giroud getting injured.
Twitter was full of halfwits moaning about Ozil. It’s beyond stupidity.
We won the game within 30 seconds.
Jack was back to some good form and Monreal is the unluckiest player in the world that he cant get starts.
Anyway,we are top of both of the leagues and if people want to look for things to complain about then bollocks to them.
This Arsenal team really is a force to be reckoned with.
Positively Arsenal 
didn’t see the comments on the tv but I take they were of the usual standard, normally meaning they feel like they have to say something rather than legitimate thought out analysis. I was arguing with a couple of lads at the game that Giroud pen against Southampton was actually nearer the keeper than Ozils but because he wrapped his foot round it and sent the keeper the wrong way it looked a better pen. Obviously most peoples assessment of penalties are if they go in there good if they don’t there shit quite a black and white attitude.
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We actually scored to early for us to go on and turn in a dynamic performance. With Marseille just playing to fulfil the fixture and even resting players the early goal almost sent teams crowd and everyone else home had eufa allowed it. It was very quite in the crowd and not like a chamions league game at all even the Marseille fans more interested in waving their flags than in the game. Had we got a second with some of the chances we had just after the first we may have had a party but in the end we had to be patient maintain concentration and give Szczesny a work out and theo a run out. Once again no widespread credit but job done lets hope that continues
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I called em the 3 stooges at half time PG because that’s what their lazy and or bitter (depending on who was chatting shite at the time) deserved. Andy ‘get in!’ Townsend deserves a mention too for willing a Marseille goal. Now if he had done THAT if it was ManU.
Although Marseille really came at us second half (if they play like that from the off vs Dortmund they will get a result IMO) the defence and Szczesny were outstanding. Particular mention for Nacho who was immense too.
But my overriding memory of last night was the insanely fast paced interplay and passing that deserved better finishing (let’s be honest here, a 5 nil score line wouldn’t have flattered Arsenal). It truly was a joy to see.
Now onto Cardiff.
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didnt expect a new post this early!
morning all.
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a or b
the most difficult teams to play some times are teams that has nothing to lose. they play without pressure and hence make less mistakes. we should not take credit away from our performance last night. there are many of their players yesterday who really have a lot to prove. remember our games against already relegated clubs last season. they were all difficult games.
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the madia have way of belittling our achievement. when we beat napoli, it was because higuain didnt play. we beat OM it’s because they are the weeping boys of the group. even if we beat napoli at home on match day six, it will be because rafa benitez likes to play the europa league. and if we beat cardiff on saturday, it will be because they were exhausted by the game against manure.
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Bit of an odd dynamic in last night’s game. Normally in a CL tie if one side scores early then the opposition open at least try and get forward for the equalizer. Marseilles, having rested a number of first choice players, just did not want to be there and after going a goal down did not seem to have any aim in mind other than to get to the final whistle with as few goals against as possible.
I thought in the circumstances we did well, very lively and creative football, and has been said 5-0 would have been a fair reflection of the game.
Excellent shifts from both full backs who both probed Marseilles all evening. If Gibbs is still unwell then I have no qualms about Nacho turning out in Cardiff. As for Bac he has played so well in recent weeks I hope Arsene gives him the Hull game off, and Jenks a deserved outing, to keep his batteries fresh.
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Checking next year’s calendar I see St Totteringham’s Day is marked very early – and getting earlier with every fixture.
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i went to peep at the other site last night after the game to see if their mood will be a little cheering, but alas! it was as if i visited le grove. they were angry ozil took the pen instead of giroud. the same thing they would say if giroud took it and miss, only they will reverse it. one of them even said giroud is the designated pen taker if and when arteta is not available. despite the fact that wenger just clarified it over the weekend that ozil is no 2 while giroud is no 3. it shows how they detest wenger that they dont even bother to listen to his post match comments. maybe because the era has refuse to end.
even messi misses penalty.
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Check out the hatred, then use following link to complain to ITV. Do it, you’ll feel much cleaner.
(I’m not looking for credit, I’ve copied this from Untold):
http://www.101greatgoals.com/blog/get-in-why-was-andy-townsend-so-desperate-for-marseille-to-score-v-arsenal/
Complain to itv
mailto:viewerservices@itv.com
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Ha ha – nice one, George. On the money.
This is rather lovely, isn’t it? Another 2-0. Another W in the notebook.
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and i liked wenger’s reponse to the bit about ozil missed pen. good news for england. priceless!
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How strange? It is a good thing to always question your judgement. However, I cannot use the phrase “at times, played us off the park” to describe Southampton’s performance last weekend. I really cannot understand this comment. It is, is it not? a passage of good play for a few minutes at a time, interspersed by the very opposite. So, unless it is sustained for a large periods with associated goal threat, it is pretty much a pointless comment. So, commentators on another well known negative blog are debating this issue. The common thread, it appears to me, is a reluctance to accept that Arsenal are doing well under Wenger, so they are looking for scraps to keep their hopes up that a collapse is imminent. They will then write that the evidence that this team were fragile was there and they spotted it!
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Rantetta at 10:31 am
Well that was pretty clear-cut by Townsend, no? And they ridicule us as wild-eyed conspiracy theorists for observing the blatant anti-Arsenal media bias by most journos and pundits.
On a more positive note – I commented after the Sothampton game that I was loving the evident improvement in Jack’s game. Last night was another revelation. This is another Ramsey-like transformation taking place, no doubt.
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The difficulty with complaining bout Andy Townsend, or any of the other unoriginal uninformed dross that sucks an undeserved living out of their so called punditry, is that it might be taken to indicate I give a fuck what they think, or say, ever and about anything.
Actually I don’t.
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Some very nice words n the media this morning on Jack and his renaissance on the past two games Shotta – hero to zero back hero all in a few weeks
The other thing that struck me among AFC fans on the internet is the theme that all Arsenal have to do is not lose by three clear goals in Napoli. There seems from be an acceptance that a narrow defeat or even better a draw is our farthest horizon.
Total nonsense – have we learned nothing ?
I have no doubt at all that Arsene and every player is going to prepare for the match on the basis that it is important to win and secure the three points.
We will defeat them with our football – no question
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Anicoll @ 11.48
Haha!
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Anicoll
I predict St. Tottenumb will make his annual visitation on the 15th March at their place,
Closely followed by St. Patrick.
Ohh my liver will be suffering.
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Anicoll
If we get an early goal in Naples, Rafa’s goose is truly cooked.
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Bang on the money in both posts, Anicoll. The funny thing about Jack is that the media, for which we both have a similar disdain, never learn. Less than two weeks ago, after England’s matches with Chile and Germany they were already throwing Jack under the bus. Our fans were echoing them like little lemmings. From zero to hero in one week.
Unbelievable!
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My thoughts during the game were that this is quite possibly the first time both Aaron and Jack have got back to the level they reached before leg breaks and injuries sidelined both for that lengthy spell At that point my favourite player of the two was Aaron but I felt it was pretty even stevens in that both offered different kinds of threats to the opposition.
On a side note, it’s certainly a blessing to be present at games if only to avoid the worst excesses of the commentary ‘teams’ put out by ITV and the rest.’Get In’ Townsend will never live that one down in ours eyes but will he or ITV care?
Suspect not.
I’d certainly not dignify the pillock with a complaint, either.
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Shotta
Your comments and observations are always appreciated by me.
Anicol5 @1148
You have a great take on how plundits can be viewed, and it think it’s the right take.
In your following post you wrote about JW10. Another good observation.
Clearly, I get too upset by the constant anti Arsenal shit. I have such a struggle when watching games. I want to see every touch by all 22 players, and I want to hear the crowd, even if I mightn’t like hearing negative stuff. The commentators are relentless with their negativity towards anything Arsenal, and I’m constantly trying to filter out the crap and keep my eye on the ball. It’s all very well to turn the sound down in order to filter out the negativity (and I sometimes do. I also seek out foreign commentary streams cos I don’t understand what they’re saying), but, rightly or wrongly, part of my gripe with the plundits is that they’re continuing to brainwash most people, successfully, hence the relentless, negative bias, and the resultant acceptance of our players being kicked from pillar to post/legs broken – as ‘Arsenal are weak’.
I’m oversensitive, obviously.
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St. Jack played a bit of RW for the youth team I think? Last night he scored one goal whilst he was on the right, the other when he was temporarily on the left. He looked like he was enjoying himself.
Overhearing the following was funny:
“Özil is as lazy as Arshavin” (PG, it wasn’t me!)
“Wenger is playing Wilshere out of position like he did with Ramsey. He doesn’t know what he is doing.”
The way the two flankers, or whoever happened to be on the flanks, held the touchline at times was a little tweak from the Southampton game?
I’d say they were in third gear for most of the game against Southampton (brilliant Breakdown on the Arsenal site from our man Adrian, highlighting Özil’s movement across the width of the pitch), and second gear for most of last night, a couple of spells where they cranked it up a little such as before the second goal, Giroud’s selfless play inviting Little Jacky into the penalty area.
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No match report from Passenal these past two home games
*Insert banned, sad and not so smiley face*
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Just noticed Leo wrote the post, not PG.
Well done Leo.
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The win against Southampton can only be placed in the context. Having conceded just 6 in 11 prior to Arsenal, a tremendous achievement for them, and managed game after game with a decent showing and result, Southampton are, like Liverpool, a form team and their position reflects this. They are effective. Over a season they are most likely to drop a few places, out of the top 6, but for them so far so good. We won efficiently.
Marseilles, they would struggle playing like that against most EPL sides. It’s hard to raise your game (for Arsenal) in that situation. I thought Arsenal did exceptionally, raising the game as needed, controlling throughout, getting the pace right. A few more passes than usual didn’t quite come off, a sign of being a little less constrained, and more ambitious, than anything else.
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What the pundits can’t stand is that this team and Wenger are crapping all over the doom mongering they did before the season had even started. They talked crap about us having to go to Istanbul and we blew Fener out f the water, sans Özil. We got drawn in the group of death and we can even win it with a loss if the result in Marseille works in our favor. They lost their shit when we lost against Villa, due to some the worst refereeing I’ve seen in a league famous for its awful referees, and we’re top of the league. Why don’t they fuck off and focus on Chelsea and the way Mourinho has taken a decent team and turned them into Bolton with loads of Brazilian players?
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DC,I wrote the post(such as it is) I just stole Leo’s tweet.
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I think Jackie and Aaron are better than Cesc. Cesc could spot a pass and find his runner like no one’s business, I’ll give him that, but he is not as good as these two. Not in terms of skill and ability, at least.
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John cross……… so you have a problem with flamini’s sleeves do you?
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Cant agree with that Gains,even though I want to.
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No gains…. cesc was beating buffon and vieira as a 17 year old…. and carrying a whole club and lose only fm chelsea united and barca for which he scored penalty with broken foot. His penalty (last..pressure) against italy got them in euro final and it was cesc and his energy when came on that won the world cup for spain…assist iniesta. Aaron and jack I love them both and they may easily contribute more than cesc to arsenal in the long run but to call them better as footballers …. I dont agree. In terms of tempo and controlling a game cesc was doing it in epl as a bloody 20y.o….. the other two nowhere close…
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“Arsenal must win Premier League, Arsene Wenger has no more excuses”
Adrian Durham churning it out again in ze Daily Heil. Some cruel bastard actually sent me a link to this, umm, article. Probably just to ruin my day.
I believe it’s actually Mr Durham I’d like to see get the sack, and after fruitless weeks/months searching for a similar position (y’know one that involves being a nauseating and obnoxious smug bellend and getting paid way way too much money just to wind up gullible football fans over the airwaves and in print) end up down his local job centre. Then I can go and point and laugh at him in a Nelson Muntz fashion (only peppered with choice expletives). I’m not by nature a petty man you understand, but I believe I would actually enjoy that. Yes, yes I would
“Ha Ha Durham you talentless ginger c***” I would say, pointing and laughing, whilst wearing an “Arsene knows” t-shirt.
Schadenfreude the Germans might call it. Oh yes.
Arse. Er, anyway, just had to unburden myself there. Apologies. Nice post Leo. “Bollocks to them”. Amen to that Sir. Amen to that.
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Gains
I’ll side with PG and Hunter on this.
Cesc at his best is still ahead of Jack and Aaron.
Mind you the two lads are getting better, whereas Cesc seems to be festering over there.
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I wish it was true,
you never know. Levy may re-hire Jol after he gets sacked at Fulham.
On the BBC website, quoting David Hytner in the Guardian.
“Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas is clinging to his job after Sunday’s 6-0 defeat at Manchester City prompted the north London club’s hierarchy to question whether he remains the manager to establish them in the Premier League’s top four, according to the Guardian.
The report adds: “The embarrassment at the Etihad Stadium was keenly felt by the club’s chairman, Daniel Levy, and the owner, Joe Lewis, who had initially been angry after the 3-0 home defeat by West Ham United on 6 October and Villas-Boas’s hard-luck-story when he read of the defeat.
“Most alarmingly, Villas-Boas has struggled to get the best from the new signings, particularly Erik Lamela who, at nearly £30m from Roma, is the most expensive in Tottenham’s history. Given his difficulty in adapting, it was a surprise that Villas-Boas introduced him for his full league debut at City.””
In other news, AVB seems to be willing to sell Defoe to FC Toronto for £6m.
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I would rate ManU as massive underdogs tonight.
If Leverkusen and Shaktar both win their games, manure’s chances in the last game would be dodgy.
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Gainsbourg69 at 4:27 pm
“….focus on Chelsea and the way Mourinho has taken a decent team and turned them into Bolton with loads of Brazilian players”
– A preferable description to me is Stoke on Steroids. Both equally dour and uninspiring.
BTW Gainsy – I wouldn’t go as far as saying that Cesc “is not as good as” Jack and Rambo but Aaron is certainly a better defensive player with the stamina of a mule. Cesc did not have the same urgency on the defensive side of the ball, something much of his fanboys and girls were quick to gloss over. On the same note I was impressed in yesterday’s game by the energy and effectiveness of Jack in closing down and tackling the Marseille players. The boy is growing and maturing fast, I will say once again
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why would you be keen to be embarrassed? maybe if you own the spuds and want to get rid of them
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Ahh the media… Werent they telling is all how Ravel Morrison was about to usurp jack and that anDROSS Townsend is better than Theo?
Thought so.
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no matter what the bus driver wins he will always be the managerial answer to Mogadon I know long time Chelsea supporters that stopped going last time he was there. they waited all that time to be successful and then found to their horror they couldn’t enjoy what was being served up.
imagine the fun they could of had with our unsuccessful 8 years
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I can’t take all the credit. Because, in fact, I can’t take any. But thank you anyway.
Top of the league and top of the ‘group of death’ (described as such by the media themselves) and the ITV panel, two ex-Arsenal players amongst them, were comically dour before, after, and at the midway point of the game. There was a funereal mood in the studio as Arsenal hammered another nail into the coffin of their tired, old narratives. It was wonderful. I only watch these ‘analyses’ to drink in their mournful faces and I wasn’t disappointed.
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Roy “every Arsenal player has a question mark over them” Keane was my particular fave quote from the ITV Wake last night.
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LeoS
Haters’ tears of frustration at Arsenal’s refusal to be the terrible team they have convinced themselves we are.
Mmmm, those tears sure taste wonderful.
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I’m liking Bender’s performance so far tonight.
It’s early doors yet, as they say.
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0-1
Shit defending from Hypia’s team.
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A right shambles at Eastlands 1-1 now but the Czechs should be 3 up
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It’s a shambles in Leverkusen too, Anicoll.
Just switching over to city’s game – lol Micha Richards looks like Frimpong’s fat dad!
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All, the UCL groups top dogs looking likely to get the top 8 seedlings, some don’t deserve it at all.
Second place bunch of 8 looks wide open now.
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i would rate cesc as a freak talent in the messi ronaldo mould only as midfielder and not forward….to be able to play as main playmaker for one of europes top 8 teams at such a young age is not something you find easily in a players ability. his mind and execution of wenger’s game plans/strategies operated like a computer. his vision was like in the matrix movie. wenger trusted him with his whole football philosophy to become the focal point of his team at age 17-18….. work rate? some are there to close down, others are there to think…and its not like he didnt run his socks for us or the shirt, playing nearly every game for many years, full seasons with full stats.
and im not well with all these durhams and barkleys and crosses …fuck them all.gains is right. chelsea is a shambles…united the same..totnm is a joke but all they think about is what will happen IF giroud gets injured…what will happen when we play this and that team..flamini’s sleeves..fuck them all…graaahhhh…. please lets fucking win it and lets go torch every house of every fucking bastard who ever talked and promoted negativity with such a zeal….
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Jeez
That defending, by an allegedly good German team was hopeless.
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