Today a guest post by @anicoll5
A mild glow suffuses my normally stern features this Monday morn, allowing my mind to meander across the memory of a fine game of football with both a performance and a result I had been hoping for. Very nice, very nice indeed.
Top marks to our visitors who put together a great display going forward and on another day and with a scintilla of better fortune might have come away with a replay, maybe more. A disappointing comment from Rodgers regarding the “better team lost”. That however will remind me why I try never to listen to post match interviews with managers all of whom have a tendency to talk utter bollocks, the adrenals coursing wide open, swivel eyes loons to a man.
Of the match itself three features struck me. First, that it is a long time since I have been on the edge of my seat like that. 2-0, 2-0, 2-0, 2-0 and even our recent 0-0 was nowhere near as hard a watch as that. I suspect the level of sustained concentration required among our defensive back five was tested yesterday at the Emirates as it has not been tested this season. And did they crack ? No they did not. And the longer the game went on the less likely it was that we would crack.
Second, I doff my ceremonial top hat to Lukas Fabianski and to YaYa Sanogo. Two players at different ends of their AFC club careers but both faced the monstrously difficult test of coming into a side from the bench, with very little first team action, in a tie that was explosive action from the first whistle. We saw how well they both did. Lukas, with a thousand snide remarks waiting to be launched if he made one mistake, put not a foot wrong. And YaYa, while showing few of the silky skills he is renowned to possess, gave Agger and Skrtel no end of an battering. Great afternoon lads.
Third, an unfortunate amount of attention has been focused upon the challenge of the Ox on Suarez and the alleged second “penalty”. Referee Webb excoriated across the media with the usual hysteria, Scousers setting fire to themselves in protest, novelty tee shirts etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. I find the commotion laughable. A referee is entirely within their rights to have the most profound doubts concerning a foul being committed when the apparent victim of the offence launches himself into the air, performs a genuine somersault, and twists into a half pike before crashing to the floor. If the referee has a doubt then he must not give a penalty. Any player from any club who tries to cheat in so blatant a way should be punished, not praised. I trust Webb will follow through on that policy next time.
And so we stride onward to Wednesday, a glint in our eye.
Positively Arsenal 
Great stuff Andrew.
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Yes, A5, a great write up.
May I say thanks to Shotta for a fine piece a couple of days ago. More – from you both, please.
What a game. What a result.
Andy Gray, Gary McAlister, et al, – it was bad enough listening to them live, but hearing them again on a 2nd viewing fully confirmed the horror bias that’s a constant from the broadcasters.
I saw how Liverpool kicked, pushed and cheated at their place. Everything was set up for them to repeat the shenanigans, according to the great and good, and the way the match was reffed in the second half.
One can only be proud of Arsenals players. I am.
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Absolutely agree.
Suarez is completely to blame by putting doubt in to the mind of Webb. It was a stonewall penalty that should have been given anyway, but you reap what you sow.
Fabulously biased commentating with especailly glowing praise for the exceptional talents of Gerrards when they were 1-0….no make that 2-0 down.
Other teams seem to ‘take their chances’ ‘defend well and score on the break’ ‘have the experience to win poor games’. However Arsenal are just ‘lucky’!! So what. I’ll take that.
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So now we know the real Mr Andrew Nicoll. Thanks Georgie for you and your big mouth.
Just like my good friend Anicoll, I am still on a high given the way we fought hard for victory against a very good Liverpool team. The media and bitter scousers would like to detract from our performance by focusing on Mr Webb but unlike Pool, who lament missed penalty shouts and only scored from the spot, we lashed two brilliant goals past Brad Jones via open play. We then defended our advantage as if our lives depended on it. Brilliant for Arsenal. Brilliant if you love football.
Unto the mighty Bayern on Wednesday. Lets be blunt they are better than Liverpool. Champions of Europe, practically unbeaten in the Bundesliga, they are the prohibitive favorites. But I rate our chances because of our consistency.
Despite all the losses we suffered in the past 14 months (to Spurs, Bayern in 2013 UCL, Villa, United, Chelsea, City and most recently Pool) we have always come roaring back. Lost in all the fear mongering and prophesies of doom is a record which demonstrates a deep, talented, resilient squad under a great manager with a great desire to succeed. That alone should give Bayern pause.
All we have to do is give it a good go. Win, lose or draw, we will be well set up for the League, just like our run last year.
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Nicely written ANICOLL. yesterdays game and result was truly a well executed team effort with many remarkable performances by our players and even the crowd gets an A for their wonderful support. The smoke bomb was a nice touch too thanks to HUNTER and his crew. Outstanding performance by FABIANSKI and even though I heard the latest contract extension has been declined by him and his agent, I certainly hope the club does everything in their power to keep him as our number two . His flawless work in keeping pool at bay and his team in the game surly must have shut many of his critics up.
Now to Wednesday and the hope that our guys come away with a good result and another performance to make us feel proud of each and everyone that get the nod to face the barverians.
UP THE GUNNERS !!!!!!
UP WITH THE ARSENAL !!!!
the better team certainly won yesterday no matter what Brenda says. It must have hurt him no ends and very unprofessional of him not to be able to congratulate AW and the team for a great win. Low class indeed.
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I really feel that match meant a lot more than a place in the last 8.
Bloody marvelous.result.
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Suarez’s gyrations reminded me of my own efforts to mimic Michael Thomas’ winning celebration after he scored at Anfield in ’89. I think he must really want the transfer after unveiling those moves in front of the Arsenal home support.
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Great comments after the game, as always.
ZimPaul
February 17, 2014 at 6:41 am
So, I’m just trying to get my head round it all. Something like this. A day ago Arsenal were a crisis-ridden forlorn flagging shipwreck waiting to happen. Today Arsenal wake up to say: after a 5-goal set-back we navigated a testing match against Yoo without conceding and might easily have won; a few days later we rotated 6 players, blooded a 20-year old in a key position, and saw off the “in-form attack” (justified) of the EPL in a knock-out fixture without conceding in open play; we are a point adrift in the league standings, and entering the thrilling last 16 knock out of the champions league. In terms of depth, we are missing two key players, one said to be the top player in EPL (until injury), the other a seasoned 15-20 goal a season winger; but we have introduced an 18-year old and a 20-year old, successfully, to proceedings this season, and 2 other young players are looking fabulous; they and several “second-string” players seem capable of highly competitive Arsenal football. Meanwhile Chelsea manager, in a juvenile spat with ours, finds himself looking ridiculous. We have our problems, for sure, but the facts seem to be that we round the curve of the last bend with wind in our sails, everything intact, everything to play for, a top, top team in the most competitive league, contenders in three competitions. Liverpool gave a tremendous account of themselves, they are definitely in fine form and have three great players up top, they threw their absolute best and top team into the match, but lost. They lost it tactically; thought if they play it the same way they would win. They would have been more dangerous with a Yoo-like 90-minute, ball-control midfield strategy, containment of Arsenal (who always looked dangerous going forward). They tried, in fact, to out-score us but couldn’t.
I am thrilled to see Sanogo in such a high-profile match, and previously Gnabry, both taking major steps, and according to Wenger, Bendtner too looks sharp in training. Gedi can’t be too far behind. Santi, Tomas, Chewie, Bac, Gibbs, Jack and Giroud all with rest. Flamini full of life. Lukas getting back. Ox looking unstoppable. Sanogo competing. Oh, and Jenks, the most under-rated RB in the EPL. Aaron back in about 3-5 weeks. Nacho back to his best. Fabianski competing for the starting jersey. And Ozil, the chap has played in every match, ought to be “tired”, but is looking sharper with every outing.
Is it possible we might pay due respects and say well done Monsieur Wenger, you got it absolutely right.
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Very disappointed in some of the tactics deployed by pool and Suarez in particular yesterday. He looked like a freshly caught fish dumped on the ground for the contact in the box by CHAMBERLAIN. and their first goal from the spot came from a very soft penalty where he made most of the contact in the box. He is too good a player to resort to s••t like that to win a game. Shameful.
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BTW, I am very happy for PG. We all know he is very nervous pre-game but even more so in his post yesterday. I know where George is coming from. The majority of our so-called fans, at least those on Twitter and blogs, already had their knives out to slaughter Wenger for daring to rotate prior to an important date with Bayern (go figure how that could be remotely controversial). A leader of the malcontents had already described the selection of Sanogo over Bendtner as an act of “petulance”. The media was just waiting for a loss to stoke the fire.
In such an environment, the safest place to be is the middle ground like many bloggers have done. Being in the middle, you are a winner regardless of the result. on. George and those of us who support Positively Arsenal do not have the luxury of playing it safe. Supporting the manager and the club at times when the stakes are high, when the consequences of failure can be catastrophic, is not easy even if we do it from the comfort of our keyboards. Thank heavens we had Mel to set George straight.
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thanks george
what pained me most is that the media were busy talking about liverpool’s penalty not awarded while completely overlooking our own stone wall pen when scuntel did a karate kick on santi. i know the media hate us but how on earth they all fail to mention it.
my mind tells me fabianski would have stayed if he hadnt come from poland. as it is, he is a direct rival to szcz both at arsenal and poland. one more reason i hope we win a trophy this year. he deserves it. any club in england that signs him will be lucky just as sunderland.
what can i say about sanogo. yeah! yeah! sanogo was a handful for anger and scuntel. good on his feet, chest very comfortably and and his volley? incredible!
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great post anicoll.
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Brilliant Andrew,that last 20 minutes took forever didn’t it? Shotta,if George needs me to set him straight,he’s in serious trouble!
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“anger and scuntel” – brilliant!
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Re the penalty, and a minor technicality. Arsenal have often been at receiving end of such calls, usually Yoo. The amount of penalty calls and actual fouls committed in the box is very much higher than the penalties given (Vidic v Giroud comes instantly to mind, plus about 100 others, often involving Theo). What justifies this penalty NOT being given is that two players collided both going for a ball not fully yet/quite under direct control of one player, Suarez. Well, it is a matter of interpretation, and could have gone Pool’s way. I would have been upset but not at the ref. The point is simply the ref was 10 feet away with no obstruction and replays will show he was watching it all. Then Suarez did a very wonderful – almost poetic – song and dance routine, a beautiful and majestic display, athletic and aesthetic and technically excellent too, worthy of say a 7.8 in the annual song and dance finals. Surely a medal, I few seen few better. But a penalty? Nope, sorry to Pool supporters, I know how it hurts believe you me, there are solid grounds to say 50/50 or thereabouts, followed by an attempt to cheat the ref. In other words there was “reasonable doubt” in several technical matters, and the ref will not on this occasion be hauled before the refs association to explain the mystery.
So, guys please no “Arsenal was lucky, Pool the better side”. Match report: we won a thrilling game by scoring more goals (and better tactics too). Gerrard scored a very good penalty though!
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Did I say cheat. I meant “influence”. Cheating is usually when there was no contact.
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george this is the reality :
– arsenal opted to built ground and sacrifice titles till they repay it
– this policy comes from Owners
– this choice of policy makes sense when you have an expert in developing players and an expert in unearthing gems for cheap and selling them on for double/tripple the amount etc etc
– to win titles, the big ones, the serious ones, in this era of market and league distortion you need world class players and characters, who cost 150k-200k per week
– Arsenal knowingly chose to sell its last bunch of world class characters and knowingly could not afford to purchase new ones. The characters needed will be developed from within and in the meantime we will sell everything good that we have to help us repay our stadium. In 2020 or whatever maybe arsenal will be in a position to purchase the ronaldos of this world for each position.
– Important to recognise that trophies are a statsistic arsenal, THE CLUB ( OWNERS & CHAIRMEN) chose to sacrifice till the stadium is repaid and more money flows in.
-Vieira, Henry, Gilberto, Pires etc etc …all of them sold
– Toure, Adebayor, Hleb
– fabregas nasri robin clichy song
-whenever there was a request for one of our players that made sence financially WE DID IT without giving a shit about titles and rightly so…the OBJECTIVE is to repay the ground.
– arsenal, whether fans like it or not, had to follow their financial plans with strict discipline for 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10 maybe even 15 or 20 years. nothing wenger can do about that other than say to the board and people at arsenal “youre nuts im off”. but the great man/leader/professor being confident of his abiities took the challenge wholeheartedly.
– for all this to work, qualification and participation in champions league is of VITAL importance
– wenger though, being clever does not want the players of arsenal to take it easy and think in their heads that all they have to do is finnish top4, hence the constant bigging up of his players, the faith and trust. its called aiming high and its what all good managers do who have ambition.
– whoever blames wenger for the sale of key players is a moron
– whoever insists on balming wenger for 8 trophyless years wihtout considering that the club was never going for titles in any case is an even bigegr moron
– whoever intentionally ‘forgets’ the sacrifice that needed to be made for our stadium and chooses to attack wenger n such cheap and shallow manner is a cunt
– whether that cunt is jose, or fergie or shearer or morgan or jon jon and pedro makes absolutely no difference
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sadly though ‘reality’ for newspapers is all about abusing and insulting a professional and gentleman as wenger, a man who has done far more for ENGLISH football than many pricks national or international. a pro who has treated this country and its people with respect and civility and whose teams have always approached the game in the right healthy way is being disrespected by translators who are passed on as managers cause they win trophies thanks to other people’s money.
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when you distill what has happened the last 8 years, wenger’s “crimes” are showing immense faith to his players and being responsible/careful with the club’s money
fuck the haters.
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Nice preview Andrew and a very timely and encouraging win for our boys.
Personally I took to Sanogo at once and think he has Drogba-esque qualities yet to reveal themselves in full. But aside from an outstanding goal-keeping display I have to say how delighted I was with the crowd on Sunday. Partly whipped up by Gerrard & Co’s shenanigans and Webb’s unpredictability, it was noticeable how the likes if Sanogo and others (Per, for one) went out of their way to encourage the crowd to keep up the roaring, unswerving support. It really felt like we were collectively, for once, that elusive 12th man, really making a difference. Noticeable too that so many of the team made a real point of applauding the crowd, especially the North Bank which is where Flamini’s shirt ended up.
A tremendous match, great player/supporter collusion and the happy byproduct of a home tie through to the next round to look forward to.
Personally, I think it was a worthy warm up for Wednesday …
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Brenda forgets how his team were man-handled at the Emirates earlier on in the season. As in, they barely saw the ball and were thoroughly defeated. What balls he has to talk like that. He’s got class just like his mentor. Not.
Sanogo, drew a lot of “humble pie” comments with his display yesterday. He’s got a silky touch and works his socks off. I am eager to see what he does when he’s fully integrated into the side and can express himself freely.
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Most important, Sanogo – by the way he carries himself – has a pair. Absolutely the vital ingredient for any striker, aside from skill per se. I personally liked three things: chest, drop and shoot, an immediate process, yes I said. It led to a goal. Two: get in the right position, and there goes Lukas to the byline and crosses, Yaya was there, unmarked and would have headed straight in had the cross been accurate, Lukas knew and smiled wryly. Three: receive and pass (as a target man), no fiddling, thinking, fluffing as defenders work desperately to interfere and kick you; keep the move fluid, speed is essential, go for it. Giroud has that in abundance, and apparently so does Yaya.
He’s raw, strong, passionate, a good work ethic, and seems playful too. Welcome. Aside from the win and the goals, Sanogo was the highlight of the match for me, not the best player you understand, but the highlight. I always wanted to see what Wenger had meant.
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And psychologically what has just happened. I feel something important. When its the real business end, the crux, this team seems to pull out the result. Mesut Ozil has such a quality. Very, very important quality. It’s been seen many times within the last year, starting Munich, and the “run”. Now the thing is, Liverpool were not expecting that.
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It really felt like we were collectively, for once, that elusive 12th man, really making a difference. Noticeable too that so many of the team made a real point of applauding the crowd, especially the North Bank which is where Flamini’s shirt ended up.
a baby step to the right direction certainly …we play well against bayern and win with the crowd behind us and we have lift off!!! come on THE ARSENAL! …
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Well Wednesday is big isn’t it. Who thinks Wenger does not want to win is a fool. He’s going to try and win. Oh yes, it’s hard as hell, beating the current undisputed top side in Europe. The thing I hate more than anything about the village idiots is not appreciating Wenger’s courage.
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our players are desperate for our singing…this is our duty as fans….
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Good comments and contributions today – further words of praise for both Nacho and the Flamster who both picked up early cards. Neither shrank from getting stuck in after and nor did they give Webb an excuse to reach for his pocket again. In a full blooded battle not an easy tightrope to balance on for either player.
Great thing about him is we got him on a free you know ?
Webb I mean
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but we need an uberchant
I WOKE UP INT HE MORNING TO COME TO MY HOME
I DOTN GIVE A SHIT ABOUT YOUR RULES AND YORU LAW
BRING OUT THE FUCKING CANNONS AND DONT KEEP US WAIT
WE ARE ON A MISSION WE AINT GOING AWAY
oh oh oHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
OH OH OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
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im glad that arsenal fans are finally pickig up proper european football chants but we need lyrics ..whats this @we like it we like it we liek it ..oh oh ohhhhhh” that chant which i know from gate13 has s such massive potential
I WOKE UP INT HE MORNING TO COME TO MY HOME
I DOTN GIVE A SHIT ABOUT YOUR RULES AND YORU LAW
BRING OUT THE FUCKING CANNONS AND DONT KEEP US WAIT
WE ARE ON A MISSION WE AINT GOING AWAY
oh oh oHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
OH OH OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
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cause i am going crazy just watching my team
i dont know what will happen when we win the league
OH OH OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
OH OH OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
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and jose youre a cunt FUCK OFF FUCK OFF
Oh oh ohh ohhhhhhhhhhhhh
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and as for giroud…simple…why get married so early olivier ? 😉 pleeeenty of time to settle down……
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Today I feel a lot more mature and I have a lot more experience than when I was only 24.” said spartacus
and we were giving shit to our young players when they were 19 20-21 22 for not beating drogba and giggs for titles ……. hahaha i tell you ….the last 8 years have seperated the men from the boys in the arsenal fans…
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Top Scram, everyone!
Great stuff Anicoll.
Our Liverpool friends need to calm down, calm down.
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I’m still singing ‘She wore a yellow ribbon….’ from yesterday.
I thought we had the mickeys’ well done, the only worry point was a tremendous pass that split Kos and Per apart to allow Strurridge to run into the box but Fabianski dealt with that superbly.
It will be a pity to see him go in the summer, but he is talented enough to deserve 1st team football at a decent club.
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Was it not the away ‘scousers that set-off the smoke bombs?
Didn’t think they could afford such tomfoolery.
Oh well, a trip to London means a double benefits week.
(2 addresses for the uniformed, *cough*)
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Zim, I also noticed Sanogo running in behind Podolski for the second goal. The boy wanted a goal so bad he could taste it.
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Notice how that defence splitting pass was only used once? Flamini and Arteta made sure they’d deny Gerrard that lane for the rest of the game. They hit us with three goals by using that same passing lane the last time we faced them.
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That was a damn fine ball even if it was from Gerard Gains – sometimes you just have to put your hand up – if Jack had hit it I would have coo’ed loudly
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One thing I noticed is when pool had a cause to complain about a call or no call , there where slow motion replays from every angle shown. When ARSENAL had a cause, as in the foul on SANTIAGO the only one replay shown was five minutes after the incident. A high kick with studs showing inside the box that connected with the shin. It was the same with some marginal offside calls too.
Very disturbing biased commentary too all through the game as if secretly both speakers wished for a turnaround and a pool win. Very frustrating to say the least.
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kenny dalglish martin samuel etc were raising genuine questions and attacking wenger for he cant afford to take liverpool lightly, his first team got trashed, f.a cup only realistic hope for a trophy etc etc
so then…..where are the follow-up articles ? muaha…
oh and while i previously had a little bit of respect for patrick barkley i can safely say he is another stupid cunt …just like the rest of em ..whores to the system.
from barkely’s piece in the standard titles mourinho and wenger put to shame by gentleman tom…
” ….. – for he epitomised sportsmanship and the english ideal of modest and polite pursuit of excellence. He did it with humour.”
those words were used for finney and without this having anything to do with finney my question to barkely would be…… whats wenger then if not exactly what you described up there for tom ? whats the difference you bald prick?
wenger shamed together with mourinho? are you sure you cunt journalist or is this because you need to support you shit book on chapman which you wrote to consolidate your wanker friend who cant judge football and was having fits on wenger? ? fuck you and your english ideals malaka …you have wenger in your country TEACHING you football and how to play the game the right way and even with the romantic aspect of growing players through the players and developing the club on solid foundations…….we can all see how your ‘ideals’ treat wenger patrick…….
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he talks about the english ideal of modest pursuit ??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
with chelsea and mourinho in the country???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
am i the only one who finds this contradictory?
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Hunter is on fire. Anyone invited our Hunter home for dinner? What a man!
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Hunter, PB has apologised for the headline on Twitter saying it was not his work.
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Did anyone else see a trip on Ozil in the pool box?
Did i imagine it?
I agree with Gains and Anicoll, that pass from Gerrard was sublime.
I hope other teams don’t exploit this apparent channel into our box, I expect the coaches have noticed it by now and will cut out the gap.
They same coaching sure as hell stopped the age old vulnerability to set pieces creeping back in over the last 2 games.
Of I Forgot the Arsenal pod cast is on.
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DC
I’d not seen the match until this afternoon when Arsenal Player released it. I thought it must be my imagination when Özil was upended by Agger in the penalty area – soon after Suarez’ swallow dive.
Of course none of the media mentioned it. But I reasoned that someone else must have seen it.
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Great review A5, two pens, a sending off ,not to mention several muggins perpetrated by agger all not given yet we were lucky and Webb beat pool. Calm down calm down and take the defeat on the chin scousers you won the wrong game and you know it, you know a 5-1
win isn’t a guarantee that the next couple of games are a given.
if we keep winning and the media keep saying were lucky, then I’ll be very happy
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I forgot to mention Jenkinson yesterday. That boy is really growing in skill and confidence and Bac will need to watch his back soon.
Pool need to shut it – the better team won, as in the team that took their chances in open play and defended their goal when they needed to.
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shotta i had to drive a mate down at pub in holloway for ….business ….and while he was talking with peopel i left the pub with my pint and cigarette and walked to the ground just to see it and pray/curse/swear for wednesday …its just so fucking beautiful looking at it..everytime..everytime …what arsene has doen for this club…holy fucking shit….
george i hpe you understtod the diarhea at noon abt reality was to raise your spirits..fuck the internet..just trolls nad mad people….listen to passnela…the crowd is getting stuck in as well…can do a lot better obviosuly..buy maybe its the start..as for patrick john and martin they are professional wankers/trolss …they do it for a living….they put food on their table by typing shit all day….
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na na na na naaaaaaaaaa
mathieu fla-mi-ni
fla-mi-ni
mathieu flaminiiiiiiiii
kill em all spartacus……take shcweinsteiger; s scalp…and you GIBBO …you can have ribery for breakfast…
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lets face it …the fundamental objective of this ..deathrun… was essentially to not lose too many points in the league…i.e stay close …and despite the freak scoreline… a defeat at anfield and a draw at home with manure are id say acceptable on paper..but most importantly to have a good game in the 1st half of the last 16 against the european champions…and he has prepared us in the best possible way considering the injuries/fatigue/media trying to make us lose the plot…you cant fucking know in november/december whats gonna happen in mid february ..but you can adjust…thats for the morons arguing about whether he ‘s still got it heh..we mean it and we aint afraid to admit it …one game at a time…………
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