Today’s piece is penned by our very own @anicoll5.
In line with house policy I shall not recite the events of Sunday afternoon on the pitch as you have seen it, or heard it, or followed it on Twitter, or missed it. If the latter, my poor expression would be inadequate to describe an excellent game.
As for the result the words ‘fair’ and ‘result’ were used in 24,727 social media references to the game on the period between 6pm and midnight GMT last night. The people have spoken and, I admit gentle reader, I was one of those statistics. For either club to have gone away pointless would have been injustice.
Were we expecting much different? Not me and I suspect I was not the only one on PA. The three points would have been a good prize but in recent seasons EFC have proved a difficult, awkward side to beat at home. I recall peering at the game through a snow storm two seasons ago when the home side, Tomas I think, snaffled a late equalizer. And they have a little more football quality now and are less reliant on the boot and fist that Fellaini personified.
Some Arsenal fans were relying on that old leveller ‘fatigue’ to kick in, with Everton having won late at Trafford Park on Wednesday. By the last 20 minutes they would be knackered. Well as we saw on Saturday, and have seen quite often this season, a win against ManYoo away is not deserving of the accolades what it was. As for ‘fatigue’ – Pah! Arsenal had played 23 club games this season going into Sunday’s game, Everton just 16. Add in our Champions League traveling and our player’s international football commitments, then why the visitors should feel tired is a mystery.
So a good result and one that gently extended our lead on Chelsea and did not diminish the gap with Citeh. No more injuries, and no one banned for that 5th yellow card. We sail on toward the City of Manchester stadium with a strong wind in our favour.
I see Howard Webb came in for some criticism for not picking up fouls and taking more robust, card-type action, but I did not think he had a bad game. I have noticed that referees are much more willing to wave play on when a player goes down this season. While errors are being made – and will be made – I prefer a system where referees give a foul if they see a real actual foul, not just in response to a theatrical scream and tumble.
The man from Blackburn was on form last night, baiting the mob and their efforts to find the guilty man, or men, responsible for the Everton goal. The pitchfork wielding rabble rampaged through the cyber streets and alleys in search first of Szcz, then Gibbs, then Arteta, even Rambo was accused by the vengeance seeking multitude. They were stopped in their tracks however by the revelation – it was Bendtner wot done it.
Hoot hoot
Positively Arsenal 
Even below our best we created far more than them.All is well
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Great post ‘Coll, at long last……
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I’ve never had much of a problem with serial divers. Drogba, Suarez, they could be comical, annoying even, but I can’t recall them ever endagering a colleague or opponents career with their gyrations.
But cowardly and unambigious kicks to the ankle of a player you know has had an injury there? Same as the F-Word. St. Jacky may say that he expects such treatment, but it annoys me. Sorry!
I’ve heard people all over the ground and elsewhere saying the same thing, that since the beginning of last season, since his return from injury that LJW has recveived zero protection. Maybe he has, but it doesn’t look like it.
–
I’ve been looking forward to seeing Chelski kick all season.
Expect Ramires and Essien to start.
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“anicoll5
December 9, 2013 at 6:15 pm
I wonder if there is a blog somewhere on which referees hand out the goods on their own and fellow performers good and many, many bad points.”
on untold ARSENAL they regularly review refs performances step by step minute by minute, many of the reviewers are refs. The interesting thing is they are not all from the u.k. and so have a different perspective on games. Although mainly ARSENAL games every team is assessed really interesting and sometimes most enlightening
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Recommended viewing is Adrian Clarke’s video post game video analysis at the dot com: http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/video-the-breakdown-everton-h-
What a breath of fresh air compared to the bile and bitterness of Robson whom the club once employed. What were they thinking?
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i shall have a look at that AoB – thanks
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just watched that shotta, really good analysis giving praise to everton but not going over the top and highlighting the positives we had in the game at last a pundit who knows his stuff. it does highlight we will pick up points even when one department isn’t playing well I think they call that league winning attributes lets hope so.
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Clarke’s Breakdown / match review is a very good programme. I may be a little biased by he looks like the best English plundit out there at the moment.
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The Zonal Marking review of the Everton game is also fun, echoing our own assumptions and thoughts: “Everton passing impresses but Arsenal offer more pentration”
Arsenal had to adjust the way they played or started the game to cope with their schedule (that Wenger never changes his tactics!). Walcott not being fully fit was also annoying (for me!) I did tip Everton under Martinez on these pages early on in the season so it wasn’t a surprise to hear the arsenal players describe Everton as their best league opponents to date.
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I am wavering tonight – on the one hand watching Shaktar at Trafford Park and the reasonable prospect of Moyes and his Mancs failing three times in a row at home
Or the Allianz and the opportunity to see Pelligrini’s bold words about going for the win against Bayern bite him on the arse
Decisions, decisions ……………………….
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or anderlecht destroying them cunts hopes for last 16. ….actually on the other…..maybe not so they get drawn with some city or bayern or barca or real ..and break the record of 7-0 previously scored by juve
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Garreth Barry getting away with hip checking and stomping Özil was most worrying. Hopefully, the other refs in the division don’t take their cues from Webb and offer better protection. Otherwise, we’re going to see a lot more shit kicker types wanting to rough him up.
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perhaps he can also take advise from dennis and zizu and leave his elbow in an angle that will hurt barry and the next barry when they come at him. yes they did rough us up but nothing to do with the violent acts we had to expereince a few years ago..did not so much see neanderthal aggression as much as trying to knock our players of their bal;ance or to stop us from thinking we can run around passing it without obstacles…. hence we needed a flamini to lay down the law imo…arteta is too cultured and nice to be a bit of a bastard….
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Its a hard life if you don’t weaken.
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Giles Grimandi was the man who had a talent for surreptitious violence
I remember him tangling with Gary Mcallister that is to say kicking the Scots git. he referee was about to pull out the yellow for Giles with both player stil tangled onthe ground.
Quick thinking Giles made a show of struggling to his feet, stamping on McAlister’s hand whilst doing so and earning a swift right hand from the Liverpool captain.
Giles crumples to the pitch clutching jaw – McAlister toute de suite departs to dressing room with red card waved
A master class I thought
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That’s the same way I was heading, as far as combating on pitch violence, Anicoll. I think Giroud and Arteta should have had a word with Barty after he hip checked Özil and maybe stomped on him or elbowed him in the back of the neck, just to let him know he can’t go around doing shit like that.
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No, Hunter, I’ve seen Arteta be a bit of a bastard before. He cut down Cesc with a tackle a few years back that wasn’t decent or cultured.
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Gains,he must have known what the little shit was really like.
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PG
Hehe
He’s dead to us.
As are City tonight, 2-0 down after 12 minutes.
rotation? me arse.
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The City manager said he was looking towards the weekend game. Can City lose moral and momentum from tonight’s game? Hopefully AFC get the result (a draw!) that they need tomorrow and go into the City match top of both leagues.
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Citeh getting a footballing lesson in Munich – you would think they were one of the top clubs in the Northern Premier League
You have to be a hell of a side to get a result in the Allianz
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City in an all white kit?
It’s an insult to Real Madrid.
Feck, it’s an insult to Leeds United.
Oh, and I really hate it when the clowns at the lane go all white.
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Gainsbourg69 December 10, 2013 at 5:54 pm
ah thats easy to explain….he was under the influence of a loser scotsman back then…perhaps he could have done same to barkley on sunday
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oh shit theres champions league!!!! ..ive been cooking completely forgot …
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aaaa gala – juve with snow and orange ball!!!!!! love it!!!!!!!1
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Anicoll
An English team winning over there?
Recently?
Oh come on, you are joshing us again. Surely the English media would have been delighted with one of their own showing Munich how to play football.
It couldn’t have happened, we would have heard of such a might feat.
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Hahah Ashley Young.
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Guardiola will be furious
No only letting the mugs over the half way line but scoring a GOAL ?
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hoho anderlecht!!!
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RM and BM playing at home with their best XI’s when they have nothing to worry about in the groups.
it does show how weak their domestic leagues are.
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Hold that
Now Bayern are getting a lesson from Citeh
I don’t beeeeeelllllleeeeeeeeeeve it
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Hunter, Anderlecht loosing all discipline.
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Oh come on bloody Bayern. At least draw this one ffs. I want to be able to continue to claim that the only team too good for the all-conquering Bayern side of 2013 was us.
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Note to self
STFU
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Did you jinx it anicoll5? I didn’t want them coming into our game on the back of a good result!
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Oh for fucks sake you can never, ever rely on Bayern. They couldn’t beat Chelsea for us and now they fail to beat ManCity who can’t even win against the league minnows away.
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3 reds? Hunter
Tut tut tut.
Well, at least Campbell is one Gunner in the last 16.
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I have an appointment tidying my shed throughout the Napoli game
I know my duty
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Not a lot of surprises in groups A to D tonight,
United will very probably get a piss-easy team in the last 16.
City can only be drawn against one of the Madrid’s, Barca or PSG. (Assuming tomorrow night Anicoll keeps shtum!!).
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“I have an appointment tidying my shed throughout the Napoli game
I know my duty”
Don’t let us down!
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I have written a mammoth article for tomorrow.Telling Arsene exactly who to pick and how to play against Napoli.
You will all be very impressed.
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You know he is to stubborn to listen to your expert advice George
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PG
Fuck off with idiots demanding we get Suarez, Messi or Ronaldo.
I simply insist you must sign up goonerdyllan.
I can only guess how good he would be without a cold, or is that his natural accent?
Hell, goonerdyllan for arsenal manager.
Make this happen!
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PG
I think we will need someone in goal, a few guys in front of him to stop shots in case he gets bored, two down the side who can run fast and help in attack. A couple of people in the middle who are decent at football, a few more in front of them who can do fancy stuff and someone up front to bang them in, or at least hold up the ball (whatever that is). We should play deep, which I have been reliably informed is something to do with the length of the grass.
Oh, and a few guys to sit down and watch and then run around a bit but not on the pitch.
Tactics?, I don’t do ’em but I we are supposed to kick the ball away from the end where we loose goals and down to the end where we can win goals if we do it fastly and oftener and accurately enough, but I may be wrong because I’ve seen Stoke and they don’t try to do that to win.
The colour of the sporting costumes are important too, as are various ways of subdividing 11, but it sounds more clever to use numbers that only add up to 10.
It’s really simples.
Now where’s my coaching badge?
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@Dups
You got it all upside down! Wenger is soft as a pillow, some fan pressure here and there and he’s like a trained dog. Tell him to jump and he’ll ask how high.There’s just one small caveat: it only works if the pressure is applied by true fans and supporters. So those that feel entitled to having a say in the running of the club because they paid for their ticket and obviously those that are masters of motivation who tell every player who’s misplaced a pass ever (apart from The Chosen Few) how shit he is because we know how good that is for a players confidence. The only reason why Ramsey is so good now is because he has been “supported” and “motivated” from the fans on the stands for two consecutive years with the utmost vigour.
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Quite so Evil
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Evil,
I really remembering the True Fans calling him a fucking ‘out of position’ useless cunt.
It’s a line I heard so many times from them.
Thank the beJazus Wenger bought a hearing aid with his 7 million quid of OUR money and listened to US.
But didn’t the true fans want rid of them both?
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” in modern football everyone knows the quality of their rivals. ARSENAL are a very strong side. This could be the year they win the EPL . For me, WENGER is the best coach in the premier league and knows what his team must do. ”
Rafa Benitez
Ahhhh, kind of fills you with pride. Doesn’t it??
To think, I didn’t like this guy at all when he was with pool.
Here’s to straight forward professional performance in Italy with decent officiating and no injuries.
UP THE GUNNERS OF ARSENAL!!!!
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