“Que, sera, sera, whatever will be, will be …”
I have to admit to feeling more than a little apprehensive before kick-off and by half-time I was feeling no better.
Even when we scored after seven minutes I was worried. I don’t know why, because we were clearly the better team.
Fabianski had nothing to do and it seemed like we spent the majority of the first half taking corners.
Yet Everton somehow managed to score.
Arteta took a shot from the edge of the box. I am told he should not have been there because that constituted being “out of position for a holding midfielder.” I’m still trying to come to terms with that opinion.
The ball was blocked and fell to Ross Barkley (Jack’s replacement as the saviour of England). He ran the length of the field with Flamini, who despite catching him, allowed him to cross a low ball in to an undefended far post. Per should have seen the space but was attracted towards the ball.
1-1 at the break. Bollocks.
Anyway, you all saw what happened in the second half, we were very good and very good value for a comfortable win.
There were some great performances from quite a few of our boys.
Ozil was simply majestic. AOC was terrific in his directness. Mikel commanding. Santi was at his tricky best.
The skipper was very good considering how little he has played.
Rosicky was just something else when he came on.
Oh yes, and Giroud once again made a mockery of the idea that he can’t finish.
On to Wembley.
Great game, great tactics and great set up. It looked to me like Arsene had shuffled Mikel forward a little, less holding and more…….. well something else. Controlling is perhaps the word ?
I liked it.
If you liked it enough to Twitter with George he’s at @blackburngeorge
Positively Arsenal 
You’ve got to hand it to PG. No mucking around, no over-analyzing, no second guessing the manager. Just the job you would expect on a supporter’s blog.
Just the tonic to keep a gooner happy after a great victory.
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First comment from obafirst: Gunners all the wayyyyyyyyy
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The last game Flamini and Arteta played together they did the same, strange they didn’t do it from the start as Flamini has always played that role while Arteta has been more attacking through the years but it’s a welcome change after the balance looked wrong with them both in the team; shame that we don’t need it now that Ramsey is back but good to see.
Things are starting to look up, especially if we get the right draw in the cup i.e. anyone but City.
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foreverheady c/f
I had been harbouring an unwelcome and lurking suspicion that Santi couldn’t play with Ozil – that he was only at his best if he felt he was the best player in the team. Absolutely delighted to have been proved so spectacularly wrong yesterday. It was the best I have ever seen Santi play for us. What drive, what energy – and as Hunter says, Ox was awesome.
I thought also that yesterday saw the best of Arteta and Sagna. Fantastic moments but also worrying signs that time will have his fancy. One of the hardest calls for a manager in any profession must be when he realises he has to replace a loyal servant. I suspect Sagna is making that easy for AW, and I just hope that Arteta is treated with the utmost dignity and respect by the club.
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Obafirst; max welcome…Are u Naija
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My first time of commenting here, am an Arsenal fan from Nigeria. I find out about this site about 4 months ago from Yogi’s site. You know the ” SUNSHINE BUS ” thing repeating over and over. So i got curious and started searching and i never regret i find this site. Though Kudos to the PA crew for the soul liftting write up after all set backs. We will get there soon.
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Thanks TM, i am prouly Naija
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Sorry* TS*
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‘Bout time you wrote summat, lazy git, PG.
Actually, haven’t read yet, but wanna post – then come back later:
Pat Rice halftime intvw:
http://youtu.be/Fa4ADIfD4nk
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PG: The Arteta – Flamini combo worked because Mikel was free to play the box-to-box role, previously played by Jack, while Mathieu could play the dominantly holding role which he is best at. What many have forgotten (not on this blog), in their haste to marginalize the Spaniard, is, while at Everton, Arteta was an attacking midfielder and is comfortable in that role. He may be losing the speed of youth but technically he is a complete footballer and has the intelligence to excel in any midfield position. Yesterday I was particularly impressed with his gamesmanship which is what you expect from an experienced senior pro. His bollocking of Clattenberg and his referees for failing to make some ridiculously easy calls in our favor was, in my opinion, critical in getting that penalty call in our favor. We have seen many a clearer penalty waived off in the past. If Mikel hadn’t given them them a bollocking before, one wonders whether Clattenberg would have been so decisive.
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Hi Oba, Plenty of room on the Sunshine Bus
Great game yesterday, and Everton right at it too
You are right George though George about Santi and Ozil, my concern was not that they cant play together because each has to be the best creative player on the pitch but because they were too alike in their size, style of play and positions they play themselves into. In fact Santi yesterday I thought played a bit different, more of a Jack Russell who has spotted something in the woods and chases the fleeing creature through the trees until cornering it in a burrow.
Ozil is more a weasel, ever alert, patient, wearing the stamina of the prey down before – BANG – unleashing a deadly attack
One myth disposed of though about Santi and Ozil playing perfectly together
Second myth burster of the day “Arteta and the Flamster cant play together” – well it did not look that way to me and it worked well
Third myth – Giroo not a natural finisher – two chances – two goals – Purleeeease do not tell me the boy cant finish
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heads banging but aint it great to get up on a gloriously sunny sunday morning when ARSENAL have won and the spuds have lost, even if it was to the other scum;
semis of the cup the team back at Wembley even if we not sure which and how many supporters can make it there yet.
Apart from the confidence of playing so well in difficult circumstances and beating a very good team the team from down the road are putting ever more importance on their game Thursday, hopefully knackering themselves for next weekend and making our game Tuesday seem like a walk in the park.
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Vertonghen and Vermaelan, a tale of two slips, some will say.
B*ll*cks.
Verthongen has form in falling over and pulling down people’s shorts this season, hopeless. Vermaelan has been coming back from bad luck with injuries, and everyone who is being honest has seen players suffer in such circumstances. There is no comparison. If the Belgium manager picks Vertonghen over Vermaelan at CB than that is his mistake.
I hope Arsenal hold on to the Skipper. With Puyol now officially retiring the Barca Bunglers will be even more desperate for a top CB.
–
Good to see Mourinho’s gritty protectors of English Honour & Virtue diving. Yet again.
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“Good to see Mourinho’s gritty protectors of English Honour & Virtue diving. Yet again.” Stolen for twitter
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Thanks A5 its a first class coach
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Vermaelan does seem to offer something different, and I like the way he drives forward. He also seemed to play a part in the general energizing of the team that was so apparent yesterday. I think it would be a great shame if he were to leave as I suspect that he is only just coming back to real full fitness (have a feeling he was carrying something most of last season).
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Thanks PG
Short and sweet, not much to grip about you would think, except for fools on twitter with imaginary problems.
With the team playing like this, I am still optimistic something special will happen in Munich.
Welcome to the sunshine bus Oba, plenty of seats up top.
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Was it my imagination or was Santi playing in a slightly different position yesterday? Actually, better question: was he playing in a completely different way?
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@ Obafirst…. good to have a naija partner… I hail o
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Is Obafirst our NaijaGunner of old? Has to be no?
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i just loved how sagna ran back 60+ yards trying to stop them equalizing..pity they scored anyway..i dont understand why players shoot randomly when crowd urges them strongly to do so.
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i want sagna at arsenal next season..somebody do something 😦
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Welcome to Osafirst. Wonder if we could add this Jamaican goner to the happy bus too. Don’t often watch Arsenal Fan TV but this is a classic. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLZg8TolfTw
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arsenal 3 munich 0…common arsenal.
ozil, arteta, cazorla, poldi aoc and giroud..rosicky too..its just plain and clear to me we will go through.
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Sorry: Gooner not goner: third celebratory merlot to blame.
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Just got back from the game and what a glorious five goal fest. I think Mikel’s pens were worthy of two goals. Great performance. Everyone played their part but special mentions for Ox who was magnificent and for Mesut who knows exactly how to shut the critics up. Great to see TV back in fine fettle, real competition at centre half and with KG limping off we may need him a LB on Tues. A special, special mention for the fans. Great performance in the stadium and so many stayed after the end to applaud the players it was a pleasure to be in such company…speaking of which during the game I was sitting next to Zoe Newson, Paralympian 2012 Power Lifting Bronze medallist and gooner extraordinaire. She will be flying straight from the World Championships in Dubai to Wembley. What a star you are Zoe.
Arsene Wengers magic, he wears a magic hat…and when he saw the FA Cup he said I fancy that…
Wemberley…Wemberely we are the famous Arsenal and we’re going to Wemberley
Oh and I agree with Passenal.
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3 – 0 to the arsenal on Tuesday… even the sweet irony of being on the positive end of a 3 – 1 which would then be a 3 -3 draw would be seriously nice!
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Actually, it isn’t merlot. Barbera d’Asti: special offer from the Co-op, so probably out of bounds to the prawn-sandwich Waitrose patrons that are UK Gooners these days, but the best value under £6 red I have had this weekend.
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I agree with Team Spirit. 3-1 would be great, away goals rule and all.
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It is such a beautiful day it seems a shame to watch the rugger on the telly but I think I might or there again if I am going to stay in I might as well watch yesterdays game again. Sorted. Yesterdays game it is.
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Brilliant point by Shots about Arteta giving it to Battenburg prior to the penalty-got a bit choked up yesterday when Pat Rice appeared,had something in my eye at one point! What a man.
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Arsenal v ManC
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… Or Wigan
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Dejavu
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Have I ever mentioned football is infinitely unpredictable and interesting ?
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Incredible but I hope our boys watch the City/Wigan match on repeat. We can’t let that kind of complacency creep into our game. We can’t look who’s the opponent “on paper” in our semi-final, it’s 11 v. 11 and reputations don’t matter.
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What a football match. That’s the best application of a three man defence I’ve seen for a while.
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Good points Evil but what a weekend for us.
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After trying to ignore football all afternoon , I see Bruce being interviewed so assumed they won, then I checked ARSENAL home page for the draw and thought shit drawing city is just our luck but hey there not unbeatable. I just seen the Wigan result and couldn’t believe it.
So were obviously favourites now and although in the past we have not liked that, our team now are much more mature and I think we can handle the tag and the pressure.
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well then… is that neatly arranged or what that all the top teams are out leaving only we and hull as prem teams…
we can actually do this! Versus Wigan no less… wish that was the final though sad to knock them out after they have done city…
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omfg as they say these days. We will win this fa cup – but we will get very, very close to wining the PL as well. Especially as we have unleashed Santi the beast.
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well well well
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Wow! who saw that coming?!
Draw opens up for us, but we mustn’t pile the pressure on our boys.
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Well that put a whole different completion on things
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well… that was for the oscars..still crying from laughing though…thanks george
all i have to say basically is…cazorla…and give sagna his money
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Way hey!
Wigan it is, what a turn up for the books.
City will probably get rolled over again at Barca, then their early Saturday game away to Hull looks a bit daunting for them.
Things could seriously bounce back our way in the next couple of weeks.
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Foreverheady
I smell a double.
Only Mike Dean can stop us.
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Double ! Come on were supposed to be positive oh here.
~~~~~~~~THE TREBLE IS ON~~~~~~~~
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@ a or b… LOL.. Positive it is… Treble is definitely on…
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I should definitely leave gaps between my postings because again it’s all good news when I get back. Oil City are out to the defending FA cup holders! As long as we play them with the necessary attitude and application, we can get to the final. Please God no more key injuries going into that weekend. Another boost for Tuesday and they say good things come in 3’s (I would definitely put a smiley hear if they weren’t banned!)
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