The other day our good friend Bradyesque7 was musing upon the whole theme of racism, generalisations, football fandom and other such pertinent matters arising from the news of the day. Has his finger right up on the pulse of the Zeitgeist that lad and it’s a good job too because for yours truly the outside world seems to shimmy past the conservatory window like the mirage scene from Ice Cold In Alex. I wouldn’t have known about the hoo-ha on the Paris Metro at all if informed folk like him didn’t share their thoughts online and I certainly wouldn’t have had my own mental drink spiked without the provocative nature of his subsequent ramblings.
You see what bothered him most was this. If he suggests that all Chelsea fans are bigoted oafs with the mental acuity of a dried yellow split pea then isn’t he in a way committing a similar lapse of good sense and good taste as that performed daily by your average racist? It is the sweeping generalisations embraced by the intolerant that lies at the heart of their folly and so to counter such spiteful tomfoolery with generalisations of our own is surely an illogical and counter productive approach. I happen to despise all people who generalise ( they’re all the same aren’t they ?) and so I had to agree with his argument.
This whole thing got me thinking. Nationalism being the mother of racism and tribalism being the father of nationalism doesn’t Mr Bradyesque’s argument apply equally to this whole football supporting thing in which you and I like to indulge? Why do we curl the lip and pinch the nostrils at the sight of a Stoke shirt regardless of the content of the character of the fellow within it? Why does my wife have to restrain me from yelling at children as they frolic in our local park merely because one sports a Chelsea shirt the other a Manchester one? What is this seething distaste we all feel for Bristol City if it does not stem from the same tribalistic rivalry that has driven men and women to do such odious, unspeakable things to one another in the name of cause or country, land or creed ever since, well, since ever, I suppose?
The problem is that without the feverish support for ‘our own’, without the blinkered refusal to accept that we have just as many numpties as Chelsea do and just as many plastics as Man United I wonder if we wouldn’t struggle to make ourselves care quite as much. And if we didn’t care quite as much then the whole jumper of our football support would start to unravel and we’d be left naked at the conference table. Not a happy thought. So I’ll tell you what let’s carry on pretending that all things Arsenal are better than all things pertaining to any other club and get on with today’s game shall we? I think it’ll just work better that way.
The Crystal Palace was a giant greenhouse designed by the son of a farmer and erected in Hyde Park not to grow rubber plants as you might presume but for use as an exhibition hall. Cast plate glass may not raise an eyebrow these days but back in the middle of the nineteenth century people went boggly eyed at the sight of the place. What you may not know is that after they’d finished exhibiting in it they took the whole thing down, carted it to Penge and then told the poor bloody workmen to put it all back up again.
Despite being made of glass and iron the entire edifice somehow managed to burn down eighty years later, but the name lives on in The Crystal Palace National Sports Centre and in Crystal Palace FC, our hosts today. I’ve never seen the football team play but I did once attend the National Karate Championships at the aforementioned Sports Centre and won my fight because the other bloke hit me too hard – hey a win is a win, right?
Our brave boys will be travelling a little farther south of the Crystal Palace Park today to Selhurst Park which is according to Arsène an “old fashioned stadium with a soul” which is a fair acknowledgement that modern stadia, whilst things of beauty, majesty and grandeur often lack the magic ingredient of a Twerton or Ninian Park. After Christmas Palace enjoyed a run of six unbeaten games until they lost at home to Everton since when they’ve won one drawn one lost one so it’s fair to say you can’t really guess what kind of form they’re in. Anyway who cares? It’s Arsenal we care about and we looked pretty delicious in our last game didn’t we?
Remember what we were told about ‘Boro before the match not the way they were written off after it. This was a tough, tight, in form, up together team who destroyed the Champions in their back yard in the previous round of the FA Cup and we made them look like training ground mannequins at times. The movement, the passing were both top drawer and as for Larry’s finishing, well. That boy is a top class player even when he doesn’t score, he brings so much to the team, but when he produces a finish like he did for his second or rounds off the consummate team goal like he did for the first he takes your breath away. While we’re talking about the second goal, all credit to Alexis for his quick thinking at the corner. He was on the same wavelength as our sultry French bruiser and had the ability to drop the ball into the perfect pocket of air for that cultured left side-foot to guide it home.
However, as good as our goalscorer was, as busy as Sanchez was, as good a début as Martin Keown’s ugly love child enjoyed it was the two best midfielders in the Premier League who really caught the eye. Honestly I would pay to watch Santi Cazorla and Mesut Özil unblock my outside cludgie at the moment, and no one has dared venture out there since the incident of mother-in-law and the Christmas pudding. We tend not to bother with tactics here on Positively Arsenal, there are after all many people better qualified, but you wouldn’t be human if you didn’t ponder just how the midfield jigsaw in our squad would possibly fit together if they all passed muster with the team doctor. The answer is I suppose that there are many variations and the manager can put it together any damn way he pleases. But the way we played the other day with Santi (nominally) deep and central and Mesut (nominally) farther forward and central is just a joy to behold. Stick any one of our three more defensively minded mids behind them and a couple of speed merchants either side and with Larry on point you have a frightening prospect for any opposition team.
The only thing that can cause the wheels to come off is if a side keeps and passes the ball really really well and attacks with such intensity that we just can’t get hold of the thing – credit where it’s due the team from Middlesex did precisely that the other week. They were of course in very good form and lest we forget had the Second Coming of The Son Of God in their team so we never stood a chance really. As far as I know Alan Pardew doesn’t have any specific divine connections and if we can move the ball around like Liverpool did against Palace in the Cup then we ought to be OK today.
In other news little Jack’s back and not before time. I think he can do a similar job to either Santi or Mesut and as such could give either a break to ensure they stay nice and fresh for the run in. Can we talk about runs in yet? Too early? OK maybe after next week but it’s looking like a pretty exciting time ahead as the season approaches its denouement with lots still to play for and plenty of clubs still with their dogs in the fight. A good performance today please and if we can grab three points as well then that’d be even better. But just remember, if we do lose then not every member of the WOB who rushes to judgement on social media is necessarily an annoying, spineless idiot with the wit and charm of a toenail clipping. Some of them may have marginally less charm than that, after all, as our good friend Ro has taught us, not everyone is the same.
Positively Arsenal 
Superb opener for a great day of football ahead; unlikely to read anything better all weekend.
But that Bristol City, eh?
Thanks Steww.
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All thanks must go to Ro. Without his provocative tweetage I would have been entirely lacking inspiration. I just hope Seebs doesn’t hate the title this week.
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Ronan rapped my knuckles on another matter the other evening. He is merciless.
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A very interesting Post, steww, and covers a panorama of issues.
I do have a question well two really. You said that we all have a great distaste for Bristol City – and as I have never seen them play, or give a fig for them, my reaction was ‘que?’ My only recollection is that the Brits derive the word ‘titties’ from the name, and I have no distaste for them.
Are you going to withdraw my Gooner status? [chuckle]
And ‘finger right up on the pulse of the Zeitgeist’ — where did that nugget come from – me like!. [another chuckle]
Good stuff, steww.
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Don’t dare go on Twitter if I know Ronan’s around – nor here, for that matter; just too darn risky.
Bristol City … tsk.
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“I’ll tell you what let’s carry on pretending that all things Arsenal are better than all things pertaining to any other club and get on with today’s game shall we?”
Too right! Excellent stuff Stew. Let’s hope the boys can repeat that performance from last weekend and bring home the points.
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Thanks Steww, the delight of reading one of your articles on a Saturday returns.
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We can all be guilty of having a parochial perspective. Except in regards to Chelsea FC of course. Did I ever tell any of you that I have family who proudly work for that club. The kids, think of their poor kids. The horror, the horror. *hangs head in shame*
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Thanks Steww. That title – I think I can see what you did there. I am guessing a bit here – and this is irrespective of my distaste for Chelsea – but I suppose it would be fair to say that in the years before RA they had a strong reputation for bovver, and that much of it was played out on the extreme right. Since RA they have attracted more of a gentrified crowd in keeping with their location and success, so the recurrent racism must be an embarrassment to any who didn’t quite know what they were signing up for. After all, football is supported and followed in a very different way these days, and echoes of the past hit a discordant note. Should we lose this afternoon you would likely see similar sentiments to those expressed sur le metro appearing on any AFC twitter feed, the only difference being nationality rather than ethnicity.
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To be fair to the pre-Gazprom Chelsea goose-steppers, they did have Gullit as manager.
But Gullit, Makelele, Desially they were never loved like Rocastle, Davis, Campbell (!!!!), and the many others. Can’t begin to pretend that there isn’t a difference there.
Ken Bates famously said of Gullit (his manager! That he appointed…)
“I didn’t like his arrogance – in fact I never liked him”
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One thing I’ve felt is that the xenophobia towards the Arsenal manager amongst has been clearly fed by the wider media, partially a consequence of the Neo-MacArtherite* era in which we find ourselves. For example: Gary Linekar’s indulgence in self-demeaning petty jingoism.
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They had AutoGlass printed on their shirts for a reason.
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HenryB – I believe it was Samuel Johnson who famously said “If one is tired of hating Briftol City then one is tired of life”
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The wind is in your sails today Steww
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exquiste, the title and the piece. I think like watching Mezut and Santi I could listen to Steww all day. Just time to say COYG
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team: Ospina, Chambers, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal, Coquelin, Cazorla, Welbeck, Ozil, Alexis, Giroud
Substitutes: Szczesny, Gibbs, Bellerin, Gabriel, Wilshere, Rosicky, Walcott
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7 minutes – Cazorla makes it 1-0 from a penalty after welbeck was brought down in the area
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Palace very much up for this game, swarming all over our players, and we are in a bit of a panic, zaha is causing problems for Monreal
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Need to get Gibbs on fro Monreal before its too late. Nacho can’t cope with Zaha
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Nonsense. Nacho is fine.
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27 minutes – coquelin booked, lucky to still be on the pitch
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Monreal goes pasty Zaha twice really easily Palace better substitute Zaha immediately.
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Little late but an excellent read as usual from Steww. Seeing as a black man was victimized by Chelsea’s racists, Steww’s very careful delving into the nature of racism and its cousin football tribalism was of great interest. As many of you are aware from our days at ACLF, I have often highligted the evidence of nationalist and racist intolerance around our club, despite our aspirations for unity (“Victoria Concordia Crescit”). While we are amazed at what this club has acheived under Wenger and its future potential, we should never forget the knuckle draggers in our midst. Am glad we are trying to make PA non-tribalistic despite the competitive rivalry.
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Giroud makes it 2-0 just before half time, after the keeper parried Welbeck shot
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HT: Crystal Palace 0-2 Arsenal
AFC not been at our best, and found palaces energy levels hard to cope with, but now look to be in control
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Loverly stuff, just what we want away from home. Let them huff and puff then smack ’em on the counter.
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A fine second goal, the pass from Sanchez, Welbeck’s speed, Larry’s finish. But it was Ozil who made the goal as I understand it. Gritty stuff from the Gunners. Could’ve been three if Ozil was given his goal.
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Olivier Giroud’s 50th goal for Arsenal if you include his goal in the community shield.
93 starts and 25 sub. 50 goals
34 with his left foot, 13 with his head and 3 with his right foot.
47 from inside the penalty area, 3 from outside.
I think that is his 9th goal in 11 games
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Who was subbed?
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slack play by Cazorla at a free kick leads to palace pressure on our goal
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55 minutes, giroud booked
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Alexis goes very close after great play by Ozil on the break
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Bolsaise on for Frazier Campbell
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one eyed reffing from Clattenberg for much of this game
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Ospina seems to have winded himself heading clear and banging into Per
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awful reffing by clattenburg sees palace have a free kick on edge of area, when alexis clearly fouled,
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Swansea 2-1 up
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15 minutes to go, Ozil and Welbeck off, Rosicky and Gibbs on
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Last 3 PL games I have watched and it is pretty clear that teams have targeted Carzola to prevent him getting any time on the ball. Instant foul.
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12 minutes left, palace bring on 2 strikers
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Burnley equalize. Chelsea already down to 10 men.
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Once again Cazorla fouled as he gets the ball.
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3 minutes to go plus 5 minutes of stoppage time
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gabriel coming on for alexis
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Brilliant finish to the game. No real excitement until that point.
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Ratings
Ospina 6 – bit in and out game, very few saves to make, handling good, no clean sheet today
Chambers 6 – ok for the most part, found Bolaise hard to cope with
Mertesacker 8 – our best defender today
Koscielny 7 – solid when needed
Monreal 6 – found it very tough, especially early on, with Zaha, stuck to his task
Coquelin 6.5 – battled well
Cazorla 7 – found the going tough, gave away the ball a lot, scored the penalty
Welbeck 8 – worked hard, won the penalty, his shot that Giroud scored from
Ozil 6 – some good bits, unlucky to have goal ruled out
Alexis 6.5 – worked very hard
Giroud 7 – scored the second, worked hard
subs
Rosicky 5 – little impact
gibbs 5 – little impact
Gabriel n/a – only on a few minutes
Arsenal up to 3rd in the table, with utd losing at Swansea
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Will be interesting how the Mourinho psychophants in the media are going to spin Chelsea dropping points. This was supposed to be a procession.
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Clattenburg was woeful today, the refs in the FAPL really are all inept
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Get in. Palace away is never an easy fixture. The Mancs losing to Swansea sees us jump into third.
The Chavs had no corporate sponsors’ names on their advertising boards. I wonder if it has anything to do with their racist fans. Pricks.
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Matic will miss games against Southampton, West Ham and Spuds.
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