I’m not much of a one for a post mortem. I’ll watch Adrian Clarke’s breakdown on the official site and that’s usually enough picking over the bones for me. I did however enjoy a chat with our Kelly, PA’s very own representative in Alabama, after the Everton match. It wasn’t so much a discussion about the match itself as a reflection on matters arising. Specifically the fickle nature of football supporters in general and Arsenal supporters in particular. I like Kelly, I like the way she supports. Whereas I specialize in a sort of lugubrious stoicism, Kelly is fierce and tigerish in defence of our players. Neither friend nor foe is safe if they are foolish enough to step over the line into unfair or ill conceived criticism. Many of us have felt the heat, smelt the scorched cloth of our smouldering collars after a poorly constructed comment to the detriment of one of Arsenal’s finest.
She was holding forth Sunday evening on the way people like to write off a player one minute then laud them as the second coming of Ferenc Puskás the next. Take Per. We all know what a wonderful assured presence he has been for us, what a huge part of our success last season. After being rested for the Everton match, and following that über tackle by our new Brazilian beauty people were suddenly consigning the master of the interception to the nearest skip along with the old mattress and bags of dog shit. As Kelly was quick to point out one costly error from the wonder kid and of course it’ll be about face everybody, all is forgiven, please come back Per and save us from Wenger’s latest defensive flop.
What occurred to me after this exchange was first and foremost that Kelly had it exactly right. We’ve seen it with so many players over the years, just look at the way Santi was written off earlier this season and now is indispensable, first name on the sheet, player of the season material. Aaron went through hell a couple of years ago and truth be told when he isn’t banging in the goals every week people often still fail to see how much his ball retention, intelligent positional play, energy and passing bring to the team. Until we lose an important game without him, then the pendulum swings back the other way again.
My second response to our conversation concerned Gabriel. Now don’t misunderstand me, I think he had a very good game. Overall. He wasn’t my man of the match, that was Ospina. Everyone else contributed to a solid team performance while our keeper had a game of individual brilliance. But Gabriel had a shaky start and grew in confidence and really looked the part by the end. However. Just think what would have happened if Ospina hadn’t displayed such phenomenally quick thinking after Lukaku nicked the ball off the boy from Brazil. People would have rushed to judgement it’s as simple as that. In parenthesis, while we’re talking about Lukaku I have to say that there is a player not wearing an Arsenal shirt who I genuinely admire, and you know how seldom I say that. Not only could he have ruined our new boy’s league début in the seventeenth minute by choosing to tangle with Ospina he had another opportunity later when Gabriel produced that fabulous tackle to go to ground and maybe con a penalty or two out of the ref. I admire him for doing neither and felt his all round play deserved a goal on Sunday.
Which brings us back to the thrust of this post. Gabriel’s involvement in both incidents would have been identical and yet a different outcome, through other people’s actions, would have seen him hung drawn and quartered for conceding either goals or penalties or perhaps both. Football matches and our perceptions of players often hinge on the outcomes of events regardless of what the player actually does right or wrong. Look at Mesut’s superb run in the eighty first minute. He controls Ox’s pass and chips the keeper for the consummate finish to make it two nil and earn the adulation of all Arsenal fans everywhere. Except that, through no fault of our Deutscher Maestro, Phil Jaglieka’s despairing lunge somehow puts his knee into the path of the ball with just sufficient impact to send it spinning out of play. So instead it goes down as a miss or a poor finish.
This attitude often translates to our perception of the whole team. I loathe the mentality that suggests the score determines the quality of the performance. I cannot understand how people can be so gormless as to subscribe to it. Teams often win when they should have lost and vice versa. Players have goal bound shots stopped by bad luck, inspired defending or keeping without suddenly becoming poor finishers. How Olivier Giroud even got his head on the ball when Jagielka’s left boot was swinging up towards his beautiful Roman hooter is beyond me, never mind that he actually managed to head it towards Tim Howard’s goal but he put his life (or at least his smouldering good looks) on the line to do it and yet the immediate response wasn’t respect for his courage but abuse at another missed chance.
Inconstant, judgemental, unfair and fickle. Never mind, let’s put it behind us and look forward to this evening’s entertainment. The boys make the short coach journey across town to Loftus Road to face Queens Park Rangers. We are at that point in the season where it doesn’t really matter who we play home or away, the points at the top of the table are so tight that we have simply got to keep winning and trust Man City to keep slipping up. Some people are getting excited at the battle taking place between us Liverpool and Man United for third place. Not me. Those other riff raff are below us in the table. I only look at the team directly in front of Arsenal and hope we can catch and overtake them. That is it and all about it. How else do you climb higher up the table? By staying ahead of the team beneath you? Nope. Bad maths that.
Having just said it doesn’t matter who the opposition is, it happens to be QPR so I suppose I ought to give you my usual in depth analysis. We are still second in the current form table and Rangers are eighteenth. So that’s that then. No need to worry about tonight’s result. Foregone conclusion. Move on nothing more to read here. Except of course for one rather significant fly in that particularly over confident ointment. QPR are in the mire of a relegation dog fight, an unseemly scrap with several other teams all convinced they can escape the noose. Their survival in the hallowed money sea of top flight English footy is at stake and they can’t be expected to go quietly. Some sides may fold with resigned despair when their season looks like it’s headed down the toilet but others rage against the dying of the light. Recent results may suggest that QPR already have one foot in the slough of despond but it may not be so, they might start their fightback at any moment, and as such we must be prepared for dogged resistance. Human nature dictates that people often strive their hardest when they’re backed into a corner.
I do believe we have enough spirit and bloody mindedness in our own squad to match anyone in the guts and determination department and of course our players possess skill and invention by the bucket load, so I remain as cautiously optimistic as ever. We saw the boys playing it a little bit safe on Sunday, the manager being experienced enough to know how to set up his team after a setback. Tonight I expect them to build on the blocks laid against Everton and go at QPR with a little more verve. Having said that if the men in blue and white elect to defend in depth then we may have to be patient. Patient, consistent, sensible and fair. Now that’s four better words for Arsenal fans, right?
Positively Arsenal 
Green tips an Ozil shot onto the post
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awful fucking defending and Austin makes it 2-1, about 10 minutes left
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ramsey on for rosicky, about 5 minutes left
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man utd 1 up late on
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welbeck on for ozil, 1 minute left
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Eddy
You are too slow!!!
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FT QPR 1-2 Arsenal
man utd, tottnum, man city, chelsea all won
liverpool 2-0 up with 15 to go
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3 points from another rather lack-lustre performance, especially before we got the first goal. QPR didn’t miss Barton on the provocative side at all, not with Henry and Sandro on the pitch.
It will help the confidence but we have to stop giving the ball away so often when in possession and win more of the loose balls.
Good also for OG and AS – one goal each won’t hurt.
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Lack-lustre? We were very good from the 30 minute mark.
Away on a piss poor pitch.
Should have had a Pen. and them down to 10.
I don’t know what some people expect?
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Bellerin and Coquelin very good tonight, Ozil good again too, Giroud on a great scoring run. Mertesacker had a fine game. We really stepped up the tempo in the second half and it made all the difference.
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PG I seen a gooner on twitter call Alexis a fraud,
as for what do people expect, well it seems the Arsenal fan base is full of football snobs, that expect Arsenal to win every game, play great football and beat teams like QPR by at least five goals.
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wenger confirms gabriel expected to be out for 3 weeks with a hamstring injury
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Watching it on the TV now and a much better game than on Arse player
Quite even
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we played some really good football imo..the ball was bouncing around..dry uneven pitch.
cazorlaaaaa..what a player.
i like the way we play when rosicky is on the pitch.
giroud showing mental fortitude of a champion..expect him to be a big part of the turn around at monaco..he knows he screwed up..he WILL make amends.
bellerin ..the kid really..always a pleasure to watch him perform well above his age..give me one right back at his age to play so consistently in PL for so many matches ..he is a true super star..and not one for the future..his time has begun already!!
ozil still playing with a handbrake..i am not saying he had an average game..he had a good game..he is capable of a lot more is what i feel..
ramsey came on and played like he was never away.
walcott, welbeck and ox were hardly used…we need all three to be in top condition for the rest of the season. (for me we are still on course for the treble heh..why not eh?)
our defending was perfect except for one random moment..i think we get punished for every single mistake we make..dont know why 😦
fasten your seat belts and brace down for a showdown..its going to the wire every which way for arsenal..i am telling you!
Common Arsenal!! Arsene lead the way!
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That big German who is totally shite and we should get rid of is doing well
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Watching Bellerin AA23 and my Gawd that boy looks confident and entirely capable
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it seems as poor as man utd are this season, the refs are once again fully in their pay, everything going their way, we will have to be exceptional on Monday to be allowed to beat them.
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one of the really good things about the young crop of players we have is how they get on with the game..no fuss whatsoever..
pure class the way they approach the game..
ozil might have complained a little bit..just imagine if that incident happen to one of the despicable clubs..oh the uproar!!
i dint even realize it was such a blatant penalty and a clear sending off until i saw the replay..IT WAS A HUGE MOMENT.
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Yes sir!
awesome bellerin has it all..he looks small but he is strong..he can pass the ball, run into space, dribble with control..and get on with the fucking game !
i hope he makes many of those “dani alves of 2008” type late runs when one of our midfield maestros have the ball.
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It is good that Sanchez has a serious word and extracted himself from that shocking goal drought
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wenger’s after game comments
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/20150304/wenger-on-alexis-coquelin-and-the-win
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Yep at 19 (is he A23?) what a player Bellerin already is !
He does the attacking FB perfectly – a few more hard games will set his defensive game better
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Nice one stew and nice photoshop (or somesuch software) work.
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what a shock that match of the day pundits fail to discuss the non award of a penalty to Ozil
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George @ 10:07pm
Match report covered.
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No mention of Bobby Z’s blatant elbow into Gibbs face.
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“Kelly is fierce and tigerish in defence of our players. Neither friend nor foe is safe”
Try living with her!
Good read, Stew!
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I saw Carl Jenkinson against Chelski and he did extremely well against Hazard. Thank god Arsene had the foresight to sign him until 2018. With him and Bellerin wel’ll be well covered on the right for some time.
Speaking of Bellerin, do you guys remember what people said when we signed him? The realists went insane.
I’m glad the Welsh Zidane is back. Whenever he plays, the team ticks up one notch in quality.
Manure has to fight us for third place.
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A5
I’m glad to see that others have already pointed out what our friend, Friend was up to.
“I told you” I had good reason to be frightened.
I was at the Reading 5-7 match, and honestly, despite our dire play in the 1st half, ref Friend was still, heavily tilting that match. (I carry binoculars, don’t you know, and yes, I look a prat, but I wanna see, innit). That was my 1st away match for 10 years, and probably the best match I’ve ever been to, in terms of Arsenal’s supporters.
“We want our Arsenal back” was sung either side of half time and that was the “worst” of it.
The rest of the time the support was magnificent. I’ve never seen so many people running in the stands with arms outstretched, declaring the superiority of our club, whilst being 4 nil down. “That’s why you’re going down”, the Ars fans sang lustily, along with “we’re gonna win 5-4”.
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What a night that was Ranty – it finished 7-5 but it could have been 17-15 by the final whistle. I remember having to threaten to shoot a few defeatists on EndofanEra.com as Reading’s 4th went in to quell the panic.
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such an important victory …what with all them bastards luckily getting their three points…chelsea/manu…i spit on both..
george i did not expect that from you …a penalty for that? …just cunt the ball in the net mesut… going with the side of his foot? to place it? lol…pussy….. just go with the ball right through keeper and defenders like a train…..take no prisoners…knee the keeper in the face if needed. ffs will he turn and ask for penalty for that?! in a semi a/o final ? and he thinks he is going to get it? fuck the refs ….they will never help us …we need to be men and act like it. you tackle me i break your leg, you pull me back, i elbow you and stamp on your nuts as you fall. the chavs are showing the way and we are still not learning….
haha…convincing huh?
I saw Carl Jenkinson against Chelski and he did extremely well against Hazard….
and costa ..and he put in some deadly crosses only for that idiot sakho to miss the unmissables…yeah ok fair enough courtois is solid but fkn hell they make it easy for him…..
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(I carry binoculars,………..).
in the pantheon of legends..just for that. coen movie!
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Our friend, Mr. Friend was very cunning in his use of the whistle last night, always levelling the quagmire of a pitch in favour of the home team.
How can a Premier League pitch be that bad, aren’t there standards to be met?
Unless someone decided to let the pitch go to ruin after Sunday’s deluge of rain in the capital.
Arsenal’s passing sharpened up considerably after the break, Ozil found some space, and was causing the ‘R’s’ some damage. I hope to bejaysus that Gabriel is alright for next Monday, and the fluke wins for Utd. just keep on coming.
Alexis needed that goal.
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Although normally buoyed up no end by an away win (and I thought it was a top result under the circs) I feel exceptionally gloomy this morning. I sense we are about to witness a cataclysmic and almost unheralded manipulation by the referees and their media supporters that will see us end the season in fifth or sixth place. If we do that without sustaining serious injury on the way I will be surprised.
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Drat. I wrote a long piece about that Reading match and I’ve lost it. Never mind.
I’ll just say thanks to our support for giving me the best nights entertainment, ever.
Those outstretched arms, singing, We’re gonna win 5-4, when 4 nil down/That’s why you’re going down, and whichever other ditty’s. I tried to join in but I was doubled up from laughing so hard, all match. Spilling my ginger tea, dropping my bino’s, couldn’t keep my video camera up in order to record the merriment/derision. Great night.
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foreverheady
I know exactly where you’re coming from. I think we have to count our blessings and continue to hope our team can somehow rise above this crap.
I take some sort of solace from seeing far superior football from Arsenal than ManU, Chelski and ManC put together. Seriously, they’re more shite than not.
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OG&TR
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Is it me or are PL sides now shooting from distance more often ? Austen just needed a sight of goal last night before he pulled the trigger, and in the end it paid off. Coutinho and Henderson against Citeh at the weekend both put in long range goals?
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Tim, serious injuries are reserved title challenging seasons. Or perhaps that is just a randomly consistent coincidence? What are down the odds down the bookies that own Stoke on that?
Eduardo, Ramsey and I count Wally from last season too.
–
Anicoll’s live plunditry during that Reading game was very very funny.
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no ani i think they alwasy like to shoot from distance here and they really love it when its on the volley. i mean…gerrard has made a career out of long distance shots….
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Remaining Fixtures
6 Home Games – (Inc Liverpool & Chelsea).
4 Away Games – worst of which is Man Utd.
Barring cock-ups, Arsenal should be comfortably at around 75 points by end of season.
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is that enough to beat chelsea dc you reckon ?
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we need 26 points from a possible 30 to beat last season’s total of 79
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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/arsenal/11451314/Mesut-Ozil-has-ran-further-than-any-Arsenal-player-since-returning-to-the-side-so-why-is-he-called-lazy.html
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The slow start after the World Cup didn’t help,
Lots of our key players had no proper rest or pre-season at all.
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I now have the full version of the Half-Yearly results, and understand that the Chairman was not “off his rocker”!
“However, in contrast, the amount owing on transfers was increased to £82.8 million (2013 – £37.9 million).”.
One has to deduct the Debtors!
As plain as the nose on one’s face, most of the transfer fees are payable within 1 year. So much for the hire-purchase nonsense.
Enough of the boring, boring finances?
Now to peruse the London Colney Planning applications and etc., 14-1648-FUL, if you must know.
COTG.
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I’ve been on Mean Lean’s podcast thingumabob.
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Arsenal drew 5 of their first 8 Premier League games. They have drawn just one in the 20 games since.
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