A guest post from Andrew @anicoll5
Good morning Fellow Positivistas from a grey East Anglia morning with Autumn firmly camped across the land.
By land and sea, by air and digital pulse, our thoughts turn to Villa Park today. Even with the Holte End spoiled by seating, still a proper football ground full of long-suffering locals. We’ve not lost a PL game at the stadium this century, eight wins and seven draws, and even the bookies have us on very short money to win at 5-6 with Villa at an enticing 4 to 1. If I gambled I might be tempted to lob a shilling on the home side, disloyal though that would be. Surely you say “the points are in the bank?”
An oddity today as we kick off the game of association football at 3 p.m. on a Saturday afternoon! It is the ‘traditional’ time and day for the contest based no doubt on an 1872 FA agreement among fishmongers and hat makers in Sheffield. I admit as we move into Autumn and Winter there is something comforting about football in its proper place on a Saturday afternoon. Mellow fruitfulness.
So unusual was the Saturday at 3 p.m. kick-off however that I looked up the last time we avoided being rescheduled for the convenience of the global TV dollar and saw it was the game at the Britannia on the 1st March this year. By complete coincidence no doubt, the man with the whistle that grim day in the Potteries, referee Mike Jones, is on duty a Villa Park today.
It is lucky I am not a man given to heeding signs or portents.
On to the game however. The Villa riding high and I have no doubt their fans as surprised as everyone else that Lambert has managed to manoeuvre what is still a fairly young and inexperienced team to ten points from four games and a spot just behind Chelsea in the table.
Toward the end of last season Villa were shocking and getting worse so, with Benteke a long term crock, and without any noticeable recruitment beyond the much derided Phil Senderos, it is difficult to explain the turnaround. (Personally always liked Phil as I do any player prepared to put his head in where the boots fly, but I accept he had his limits). They don’t score much but have a good defensive record, three in four clean sheets in PL games.
The media seem to ascribe Villa’s improvement to the arrival of Roy Maurice Keane and the papers have had a few puff pieces this week about the young Villa players “inspired” “terrified” “in total awe of” the Irishman. Hmmmmm. The fist waving, eye rolling and the glaring might work for a little while with the kids Roy, but football managing is a little bit more complicated than that, as you know from your time with Ipswich and Sunlun. No doubt Keane’s presence has put the wind up Lambert a treat though but not a word of that anywhere.
For ourselves, as we touched on yesterday, I expect a few changes in the side and across midfield with Jack and Aaron rested, perhaps Sanchez too and the Ox. Tomas and Santi coming in. I see the changes as mixture of fatigue from some hard games over a short period and the fact that if you have a large squad you use it.
I do not anticipate a ‘hangover’ after our defeat in Dortmund and a night of some disappointing performances. I do however anticipate a difficult contest. A narrow victory and a solid performance would do very nicely.
Talk to you later.
Positively Arsenal 
And very good it is too, Andrew, perfect scene-setter for what you righly say will likely be anything but a walk in the park, whatever the bookies would have us believe.
Not sure Aaron or Mesut will be rested (ie, I have no idea) but isn’t Arsene inclined to play people through form dips?
Interesting weekend elsewhere in the league though I agree with those who maintain it takes 10 games for the league to shape up.
Now, about that £3 billion in the reserves …
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Nice post Andy Nic. Im working in Geneva this weekend so will struggle to follow the twists and turns. Relying as ever on the PA crew to let me know what happens. I can’t see anything other than our lot being kicked to death. Hope we set up to get a 0-0 with maybe a sneaky break away late winner.
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We simply must find a way to win today.
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good one Andrew.
& I echo your view on using the full squad. Not much point having a squad & pointing to the quality in it if you won’t use it, tomas, santi, & the ox says I.
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The other theme in the media this morning is the YaYa Toure as “the worst, least interested, lazy, lethargic footballer ever to lace up a pair of boots in the EPL”
Clearly Arsene knew
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Nice one Andrew,we’ll win today,because when the shots flying and everybody’s on our backs,that’s what Arsenal do-it will be tougher than John Wayne’s ball bag though.
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like i said on the previous post this was worth the wait. As the stats show BD run about three hundred more miles than us the other night it is important to match villa in that area today. Thats why I would love to see TR7 and Santi buzzing around all over the place. like many of the team I thought Mikel looked tired and maybe he’s not fully fit and apart from the uncharacteristic mistakes his usual influence just wasnt there. I think its an important game for him today as our unforgiving fans are starting to get on his back. .
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There’s the old Dortmund connection with Lambert too. Three points would be nice!
Two goals in the space of minutes did for Villa during Arsenal’s last visit, Giroud and Wilshere with that memorable goal following that pass from Özil (you can stick your F Word where the F’ing sun don’t shine, thank you very much) as he dropped back to more or less LB territory ( forget about LW! ) and released Monreal on a cheeky run past the Villans’ defence.
Come on the Arsenal!
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Good post, an5. Mellow fruitfulness, indeed!
Today feels like a significant day in the season. How will the team cope with a potentially tricky away match after their midweek misadventures? The three points are no more and no less valuable than any other match, of course, but it’s important not to fall too far behind the evil empire of Fulham Road.
Finsbury, thank you for the back-story behind your moniker. Good thinking. I wondered if it was a nod to Finsbury Park, a character from the old Harry Hill programme – evidently not!
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Nice post Andrew. Feeling strangely calm about today’s game.
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Post well worth the wait Andrew. Evidently you kept your crystal ball busy as you wrote. Knowing you didn’t take a flutter on the Villans gives me hope. We need to win this.
PS: Watching QPR v Stoke and I have to wonder how Martin Atkinson got his FIFA badges.
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Good post. Anicoll. Narrowly avoided disaster this morning with a broken coffee maker. Mike fixed it though. I hope that’s a good omen. Off to watch the game with other good folks in Birmingham, Alabama. UTA!
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ssn saying sanchez picking up a knock other sources saying mistake in the team sheet and Ox was playing all along anyway whatever COYG
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Mesut Ozil: Form is temporary, class is permanent. One goal, one assist.
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Two in two?
Meh
Three in three (or thereabouts!)
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So where are the Positivistas?
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What a difference a goal can make!
It’s a funny old game.
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And Mesut Ozil wreaking havoc down the left side. Who would have thunk that?
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Bookmakers eh ? They know nothing !
Ummm
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As opposed to Steve_I,
Who knows!
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Keep it tight for the next 15 then push on Yum-yum
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AFC showing signs of cogs clicking into place and good to see Ozil and Ramsey et al picking up the pace. Can imagine Alexis coming on in the 70th to crucify a wearying Villa defence.
Hugely timely that Ozil picks now of all games to score his first away goal, just as the chorus of criticism has been reaching a crescendo …
Welbeck looks well up for it.
Good stuff.
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A classic Mert-a-goal do the first.
A familiar and awesome sweeping move from back to front, definitely clicking into gear!
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for the first
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This Ozil chap is really quite good. I think he has played the game before.
Only two undefeated sides in the PL tonight
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Lovely stuff-listening to the game not watching-are we as dominant as it sounds?
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Totally Mel. A stroll in the Villa Park.
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And that is a very decent away win for a side slaughtered following midweek disappointment. An easy game as it turned out although we knocked the stuffing out of them in about 6 first half minutes – given Villa’s start to the season and the challenging nature of our own I think that is a very creditable performance.
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Good preview. I am sorry I only get to it after the match.
Such a relaxing match. I could do with many more of those. Ozil gets one. Welbeck gets one. Check. Check. Ox should/could have got one. Chilling out conserving energy in the 2nd half. Relaxing…so relaxing…
Doomers? Haters? What?? What, what??? Surely they have something to say lol
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Veni Vidi Vici – …to paraphrase… We Came, We Saw, We Conqured
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Keane will be snapping fingers and breaking ribs about now, after a second half in which Villa barely made any impression. We made them look what they are, inexperienced, limited players who can park a bus and rely on a breakaway.
We just burst their balloon.
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Cheers G! 3 points and we’re back in the game-have a great weekend everyone-especially my mate Shotta who never wavers on here or on twitter,mind you,no-one wavers on here.
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Don’t underestimate them, Sav. There’ll be some malcontent somewhere moaning that we didn’t win the second half.
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I haven’t seen the match yet, so I’m struggling to work out how we could have beaten the second team in the league 3-0 on their own midden when we didn’t sign a large clogging mid-fielder. I’m sure Piers Morgan could explain.
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@ Merlot, bigger clogger hehehe LOL…ahahaha
Ahahaha ‘defensive midfield beast’ ahahahah…fucking memes
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The Guardian headlined what happened on Tuesday night as Arsenal crashing down to reality.
So I guess what’s happened today must be a fantasy. Don’t wake me up, please . . . . . .
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Super goal from Sterling to make W Ham 2 – 1 Liverpool (after 25 mins) but the merseysiders waking up to the reality of the challenge of playing in CL mid-week and the need to stay competitive at the weekend.
Whilst I’d never suggest AFC makes this look easy (they did today!), that we have been doing this for so long with such low-cost, relatively light-weight squads in the past is a real testament to the club’s achievements over many years.
Arsene knows.
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Welbz broke his duck, Ozil scored a goal and made an assist and Koscielny continues to be the best defender in the division.
I know Ozil and them are going to get the plaudits for this game, but Koscielny is on a terrifying run of good form.
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Anyone want to write the review?
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Well, well……… who’d have thunk it after Germany. But it all came together today and without Sanchez!! But Villa seemed to forget that there was a game on. Ozil seems to have come out of his dreamworld and pleased for Danny boy losing his Arse virginity. COYG’s
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Mel @ 5:06pm Thanks for your kind words Mel but my stance is based on commonsense not to any super intellect. Arsene has a winning track record and always reacts well to every setback. You can’t go wrong backing a team managed by AW. It should be the default positions of every supporter rather than parotting the anti-Arsenal nonsense of pundits and bloggers who have zero in experience and achievements compared to to Arsene.
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3-0 away and still they whinge maybe im just being mega trolled
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“I know Ozil and them are going to get the plaudits for this game, but Koscielny is on a terrifying run of good form.”
I’ve not felt the urge to post recently, but I had to come out of lurking mode to agree with this. I didn’t see the game today, but against man city I thought he was outstanding. So I’m glad to hear that he is keeping up his high standard from someone whose footballing opinion I respect.
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Villa had the week off and started well a player or two shy of their first choice eleven, dangerous, could’ve taken the lead, props to the keeper, and were then blasted off the park.
The two Germans finding their match sharpness after niggles and a delayed pre-season? Watching City nurse Aguero at the moment the course followed by Arsenal with the players who played late into the WC seems wise to me.
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“3-0 away and still they whinge maybe im just being mega trolled”
A or B – I was out but when I saw the half-time and then the full time scores, I knew there would be people complaining that we didn’t go for the jugular second half. I think the team is maturing as in the past they might have gone out gung ho risking ending up with a 3 – 3 or even worse a 4 – 3 as some referee gets ideas about evening things up in the second half. Conserving their energy once the game was won after 2 physically draining games with another game to play on Tuesday makes lots of sense to me.
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3:1 to West Ham. So Big Sam out-tacticed the pundits favorite manager, Brenda Rogers. Panicked after 20 minutes changing the shape of his team, then changing again at half-time. Plan A, B and C what does he believe in? I am confused. So must be his players.
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Jamie Redknapp on Sky dissecting the shameful performance of LFC at Upton Park
If young Jamie wasn’t such a total twat I would pay attention
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well AW took their advise and played ozil through the middle… though it seemed more about him and welbeck rotating….
wanted 9 -0… have to do with 3 -0
hows that for moaning?
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Sam Allardyce’s post game interview on my tv and His rather ample jowl practically quivering with laughter as he describe the success of his perfect tactical plan for Brendan. Just as we predicted on PA, Brenda is not such a genius without Suarez and having to play in two big competitions per week.
Contrast Brendan’s panicky chopping and changing to AW’s consistency in his general tactics and tem shape regardless of the opposition.
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A very nice preview, if I may be so bold, Andrew.
Two years ago, that “snarky fellow” Dexter, was having a go at you. Thanks to Frank, for the “snarky”. Lol.
The Arsenal, would have returned on the Wednesday, so at least two days recovery time. A morning coach trip to a Hotel in Birmingham, for refreshments and security for personal belongings (thieves are everywhere up near north), to the stadium, play, strip and shower, back to the hotel for refreshments and then back to London Colney. No fish and chips on the coach, back to base.
Is it Tuesday, the next game ?
How positive, everyone is on this site, all thanks to someone up north, in PG.
Can anyone really, really miss Hunter?
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