Ozil to Ramsey, Ozil to Flamini and the Theo/Aaron axis brought about the goals – Three fine goals, I might add.
There is no doubt that Ozil has made a difference to our fortunes. His composed passing in the final third is always going to lead to chances. The latest step in Ramsey’s development is obviously a huge factor too. Goals win games and Ramsey scores goals. These are huge factors.
Yesterday, however, we saw a clear example what I believe to be the biggest factor of all. At 1-0, Cardiff were mounting a fight-back, and why wouldn’t they. Last week they kept the current champions within sight and earned themselves a draw – why not do the same to the future champions?
We know our team is good enough to create chances but I can’t recall any team in all my years of watching football who are good enough to not concede chances. Every great football team needs a great goalkeeper to bail them out from time to time.
When a cross came in from the Cardiff left and found their striker’s head just a couple of yards from goal, the game was set to go level.
When I used to collect the World Cup ring-binder things, they would always have an illustration of a save by England’s Gordon Banks. The ball was all but in when suddenly Banks was on the deck scooping the ball over the bar. Well, Szczesny didn’t get the ball over the bar but the Cardiff header was all but in and the save had this Gooner on his feet.
If Cardiff got back to 1-1, the whole thing would have been different. Perhaps we would have won but it would have been against a side with something for which to fight. It would have been against a stadium of Welsh fans who were no longer full of respect for their former player. At 1-1, they would have tasted our blood and wanted more.
From that moment, it looked like Cardiff realised that it wasn’t to be. Our boys battled to regain supremacy and the familiar pattern resumed. We were back in control.
So, I say that many of these wins –particularly yesterday’s— have been hugely down to Wojciech Szczesny. The guy is truly one of the top players in his position.
Thank you and keep going Chezzer!
Thanks for reading,
Up the Arsenal!
Positively Arsenal 
my predictions were draws today all round…. didn’t want to be too ambitious. a loss by Liverpool, just fine… draws or loses for Chelsea and man city… even better…
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Good stuff. Liverpool are going to start drifting away now.
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Steww
Would a secret video of Moe taking a £50k bung in a hotel room be too much to ask for?
Loaning out Lukaku to Everton and they buying E’to is pretty close though.
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Actually I ask what do we want and I don’t even know who is playing. I really am a bit too Arsenal centric.
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DC – that’d work
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I doubt City will drop points, since they rested their first team for their CL tie and are playing at home.
I think Wayama is going to have a field day against Essien and Ramirez.
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Fuck me! Get in!
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Bejabus
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You’re probably right gains but if city has a weakness it’s in the central defense area and pantilemonlemon has not been really tested yet
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Of course neither Cardiff nor Southampton are a real test are they?
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The rusty Essien with the back pass!
I can watch Southampton, up there with Swansea (who have unfortunately lost Michu) for me.
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Boo negredo scores.
And jol just got the sack
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Negredo scores early against Swansea.
Abu Dhabi looking odds on to pick up three points against Swansea.
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These are the best Sundays. Arsenal played well and won the day before. It’s starts out beautiful and sunny. I enjoy a glorious walk in the Peak National Park. Come home to a gorgeous Sunday lunch. Watch the spuds,the Mancs and the Scousers drop points and hope the saints keep the good start going……
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Oh, and PG is a on the mend……
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At least one of the Chavski physios is better looking than any of ours……
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Sneering shitbag of a commentator talking about how good the results so far have been for Chelsea (no mention of us of course) then barely able to restrain the humour in his voice as he suggests that in the event (which clearly for him was an unimaginable scenario) of Southampton winning they could go second. Like it was just comical to imagine Southampton going second. Because of course they aren’t worthy not being a) A Test or b) A billionaires plaything.
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Boruc makes up for his waltz with Giroud. Top stop.
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Swansea bringing the game to city. They deserve a result
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De Guzman spurned the Swans’ best opportunity. They’re making City work for this victory and look good for a draw. So, yeah, Spurs are that shit.
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Teams like everton Southampton and Swansea will do the totts a favor as they won’t have to play in Europa next year
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Shelvey was awful at the beginning of the season, but I’m starting to see why Laudrup bought him. Pozuelos is the player to watch in that game.
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First time I’ve heard Neville (read his tweets before though) and he’s singing Southampton’s praises not sneering and patronising like the main commentator.
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Crying shame. Fucking despise anything to do with Terry and Mourinho.
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Oh and Man City score at precisely the same time. What a bad few seconds for us.
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Totally disastrous end to what had promised to be a good weekend. Don’t want my tea now.
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The City game is all but dead I’m afraid. Let’s hope for a final twist in the chelski game
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Yup and nasri scores again
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Feck
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I think we would’ve been lucky if Chelsea and Shitty had dropped points at home. This was a good weekend overall.
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Well that’s it. Table shaping up to what you may have expected by this point of the season. Let’s take the positives, three rivals for champions league place dropped points.
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Well the press will go into overdrive in their usual Mourinho wankfest. He earned it with his subs. Southampton was not creative enough to punish Chelsea for weakening their midfield by replacing Essien with Ba. I always felt it will be us and the two petro-clubs at the homestretch. Today’s results have reinforced my convictions.
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Us, Chavski and Abu Diaby are top 4 certainties,
the rest of the mooks can scrap for 4th place.
One positive from today, is that Arsenal’s defensive record is now joint best with Southampton’s after they shipped 3 this afternoon.
10 goals after 13 games.
Now how is that possible for our *terrible* defending?
Anyway, Arsenal have 2 home games coming up while the other 2 Oilers have potentially tricky away games.
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Poor Roy but for sure he knew this would come sooner or later – terry for England! Ugh
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I got this feeling there’s something nasty in rene that wants to come out. Who knows thou might be a girl
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K enough with spouting nonsense, missus coming back from her trip, time to shave and clean up and use the remainder of my free time to admire the table – top of the league!
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@ pedantic george
December 1, 2013 at 10:14 am
“Anyone know what Arsene actually said about this £50 million Aaron valuation?”
“on whether he would sell Ramsey for £50million…
No we don’t want to sell anybody. We just want to keep our team together. I suffered enough for years for having to sell the players and now we are in a stronger position financially so we are not out there to sell our best players.”
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/wenger-on-title-race-and-ramsey
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OTBAG!! Just watching the full game now, got trevor francis as commentator, he is loving what we do, so I’m enjoying positivity from an unknown corner.
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Jeez we must be such a dirty team we’re the only ones getting cards.
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What a great weekend for the ARSENAL. the majority of the results went our way. We have have had some fine weekends this campaign. I only recall one or two unlucky weekends. Looks like the element of luck is with us also this year. Dare I dream we can finish first???? lol
Fecking awesome. All those years suffering and still loving could be close at hand. Happy days.
Now there is a end of a era… lol
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And to think some short sighted fools wanted to sack Wenger and bring in Owen Coyle. Makes me sick.
We can win this thing but we have to be ready to deal with refs and haters. The better we do the worse it will get. Everyone seems to be desperate for city and Chelsea to take their rightful place as league leaders. I say we ruin them.
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Football is all about opinions! And that is why I maintain the opinion that anyone who states that “Wenger has changed” (you have to put the hate into the W when pronouncing Wenger) in order to justify their own lack of grace, intelligence and footballing common sense is a little bit of a toad. Not a pretty one. I’m thinking Baron Greenback here. How many times must the following be repeated, as described by those who matter?
“No we don’t want to sell anybody. We just want to keep our team together. I suffered enough for years for having to sell the players and now we are in a stronger position financially so we are not out there to sell our best players”
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Some thoughts out there that Giroud may get a rest against Hull.
Arsenal have an extra day of recovery, maybe not. Last time Walcott started in the centre was against Bayern Home I think. A tricky fixture in which to recalibrate their passing patterns.
A thought that many would have had when thinking of Suarez etc. would have been if this current team could switch between having two slightly different styles at CF? Looking at the players on the roster I’d like to think so. That’s why I believe that Plodders could also work given a few games. 1 in 2ish for the German national team, his record playing at 9 and 10 for Koln, Bouldy’s* drooling admiration for his finishing did not affect my thinking in the slightest.
Also it would be silly to forget that Özil has played up top in this false nine malarkey for his national team. I know it helps to ignore such things when trying to moan, constantly, every bleak day it seems, about what would happen if The HFB were to run into a mirror made of glittery piranha (the piranha would swoon?) whilst your team are top of the league* but I just thought I’d put that out there…
Hunter mentioned Llorente as a like for like option but after not playing regular games for a long time he’s settled at Juve. With Sanogo coming in I can’t see a Giroud style striker coming in, at all, that’s just my opinion!
*did everyone see the clip where Bould says, alongside millions of Gooners, “what a ball!” as Özil unleashed Flamini? Good stuff.
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I would like to see Giroud have a break but I rather doubt Arsene will take the risk on Wednesday.
I have given Arsene his instructions, here is a transcript of the relevant part of this morning’s phone call;
Me “Start with the Frenchman – if – and only if – we can build up a decent lead then take him off, stick on Nicklas, put Theo up front, do whatever you bleeding like as long as the points are in the bag. Got it ?”
AW – “Oui”
Me -“Then get on with it”
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Anicoll
At least Arsene listens to you.
I think that was the plan against Marseille till the pelanty miss. I blame that blöödy Özil for Giroud not getting a rest.
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Anyone looking for “change”, whilst guffing out a narrative that everything changed in Munich needs to go back in time and observe the ruthlessness with which Monreal was brought in for Santos. In January. Anyone looking to dissect the tactics of that Home game against Munich as they attempt to squeeze it into their chronology, their unflattering revision of “Wenger’s Metamorphosis” really should make the effort to acknowledge that
A) FBs are very very important to teams like the Arsenal. We know this.
B) Vermaelan played at LB at home against Munich. He can do a job there but against the best, as we have seen, many times, he’s happier in his favourite position. How many games do we need as examples for reference?
C) all three of Munich’s goals came down Arsenal’s left! Imagine that! Yes. It was a surprise to me too! That they’d target that area in that game, just like Schalke, incredible!
D) if Monreal was eligible for that game Arsenal would’ve won the tie!
E) who knows what happened to Santos, he ate all the pies, got carried away in London? Something happened. He was replaced. Ruthlessly. In January *coughs*. I’m just going to repeat that: January.
Revisionism. It’s not a good look! I don’t recommend it.
“Wenger’s changed?” What a load of b*ll*cks. Thank you all for your indulgence. The quote from Passenal of AWs presser was a lot shorter. It’s not my fault people keep ignoring what the gaffer has to say!
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class posts fins. all of them. i take the ‘football is all about opinions’ as a piss-take and i agree 100%. ignorants use it to justify the cretinous, cynical and critical cunt inside them. and as weve said in the past i understand the professional trolls of the media doing it for their paycheck but when it comes from our fans …..?…..very unreasonable….
wenger always intended to play with such flow. wenger always intended to spend for top top quality when the financial restraints eased up a bit. wenger always intended to push on when most of his youngsters (the ones that stayed) get the experience needed (i think 3 or 4 of our young brittish core have more than 100 aps each in epl), he always intended to keep arsenal aiming high even when fielding kids. the accustaions he dont know hwo to coach defence are ridiculous for 80% of the goals we conceeded the last 8-9 years were from individual errors and not because the team was wrongly set up. individual errors have to do with experience, focus etc. but no….they couldnt wait..the blame game was far more important for them than the words on our crest….
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Hunter I had to conclude my rant on ACLF, by accident at first! But there is no harm in sharing thoughts sometimes : )
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Finsbury
Arsene listens to the fans these days, don’t you know?
How else can his success be explained?
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Oops sorry.
Of course Arsenal’s success has nothing to do with the mad professor.
Stupid me for thinking that.
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