I feel, even more than is usual after an international break, like something small and furry testing the warming air with twitching whiskers after a particularly inhospitable winter. That is not to say that the pointless, tedious, and above all dire international matches were any worse than usual. On the contrary they were every bit as third rate as they always are and on the few occasions I attempted to pass a little time watching one I ended up switching off long before the half time oranges were sliced. The reason this past fortnight has limped along on leaden feet has as much to do with a stinking head cold as the lack of any palliative Arsenal action, but as I sniffed and coughed and crunched paracetamol there was another thorn thrust deep into my abdominal external oblique. The moronic drone of the transfer tattle started up almost the moment the real football stopped.
I won’t dignify any of the baseless gibberish by discussing it here. Suffice to say I was appalled by the way some of my twitter contacts and fellow Positively Arsenal regulars joined in with the nonsense. Is not the ruination of every summer enough for you people? Why pollute decent conversation by stooping to this level? Why debase yourself by giving credence to the wholly mischievous, entirely invented tales of what is going to transpire once the season is ended? Even if you only join in to say I shan’t hate player x until he actually leaves, or I’ll support player y as long as he wears the shirt, that is still a step too far. Can’t you see the reasons behind the fantasy transfer speculation? Isn’t it so blatantly obvious to you? This is another attempt to distract from the real battles being fought on the pitch, to turn supporters away from the excitement of the seasons end and the team’s tilt at glory. This is another weapon in the armoury of those who despise our club which they use to divide and rule, to separate us from the players and cause us either to cast longing glances at those wearing the colours of other teams or worse to plant seeds of doubt against the loyalty of our own. I despise those who propagate this filth and despair of every one of you who enters into such a devil’s bargain with them.
Now, I trust that issue has been put to bed once and for all, so let us glance forward towards today’s fixture. Not too far forward as it happens given that we face the mixed blessing of a lunchtime kick off. I say mixed because while I know many people are superstitious of these games they do come with certain fringe benefits. For one thing, should we win we get to lay down a marker and say to the rest of the teams in the scrap there’s the bar now see if you can jump it. Better to have the result in the bag than to go into our game under pressure from an earlier scoreline. The other advantage is that we get the rest of the weekend off. A late Sunday afternoon kick off would leave us pacing up and down, distracted from Friday evening onwards, unable to concentrate, preoccupied, distant from family and friends. Once this early kick off is out of the way we can actually function like normal human beings and pay full attention to our partners on that all important trip to B&Q.
The question is, will we be whistling through the grass seed or scowling in the screwdrivers? I am shy of making predictions, they seem a little pointless and I’m patient enough to wait and allow events to unfold but I’m quite happy to share a couple of wild guesses. I’m guessing for instance that Liverpool, although desperate not to lose will not set out to defend against us. Under Brendan Rodgers they have often displayed a proactive, gung-ho approach and have, on a notable occasion not that long ago, profited from coming at us, guns blazing, straight out of the blocks. I think they’ll treat today as a cup final, an all or nothing, caution to the wind affair. If so it’ll be a hell of a game.
I alluded to last season’s encounter at Anfield in the previous paragraph and while we’re on that subject I’d like to set straight another piece of wayward thinking. There have been a number of people suggesting that today is about revenge for the home team. That in some way we have an unpaid bill hanging over us from last year and this game will be the time of reckoning. Strange how distorted and fickle memory can be, the tricks it can play. How exactly did we come up short against Liverpool last season, pray tell? Unless I have been misinformed we beat them at the Emirates, they beat us at Anfield which by any calculation would have left us even-stevens. At least it would have had we not then also taken their little ball from the sack for the sixth round of the FA Cup. I make that played three won two. We don’t owe anybody anything.
The simple fact is that until their last match they were the in form team in the premier league, now they are joint second with Man United, and our record over the last six matches is better than anybody else’s. The other interesting statistic is that they have the best away form over the last six and we have the best home form. It is set up to be a real humdinger. Two teams that love to attack both needing a win, both with one eye on an FA Cup semi final and both wondering if this might be the dress rehearsal for their fourth climactic Wembley meeting in that venerable competition. I think that on their day they keep the ball and move it around as well as anyone and I think that on our day we do too. It could be a game of tight margins. Which players are best able to shake off the dust from the dreaded international death march, which side benefits from the hapless and often surreal decisions of one of the most raggedly unpredictable referees ever to blight the game. I just hope that for once the side playing the best football, and creating the most chances comes out on top and whatever the result today I hope that Man United lose their remaining fixtures so that both sides can finish in the top four.
Reading back over my opening remarks I wonder if the influenza which has so cruelly afflicted my already weak and ageing mind might have made me a little more grumpy than is usually the case. Of course if you wish to to be led by the nose by scurrilous journalists and do as they tell you rather than have your own thoughts and ideas then by all means talk about prospective transfers, it is, after all, a free country. I don’t need to read it and I don’t need to join in, do I? So I apologise unreservedly if my remarks have offended those of you who think media inventions, gossip and lies are so worthy of discussion. Now where is the Vicks, and more to the point who’s going to rub some onto my chest?
Positively Arsenal 
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John Dollin @JohnDollin · 2h 2 hours ago
Stood next to Piers Morgan in the lift today & he’s still wittering on about Wenger out. Where’s Clarkson when you need him #arsenal #afc
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at the moment Arsenal are joint top FAPL scorers with 62 goals
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Where the hell is Anicoll5?
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chelsea ahead v stoke
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chelsea 1-1 stoke – charlie adam chips in from his own half, before that chelsea seemingly in total control – reports saying its goal of the season
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HT: Chelsea 1-1 Stoke
and in Germany HT: Dortmund 0-1 B Munich
If dortmund lose today they will be 15 points off CL place with only 7 games left. Munich will be 10 pts clear at top if they win
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seeing as we won today is it sour grapes to point out that anthony taylor is the worse ref in the FAPL, really should not be reffing at that level, but I expect he will be the cup final ref this season.
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Steve⚽Gööner⚽Martin @HarlowGooner · 27m 27 minutes ago
18000 at Reading today. EIGHTEEN THOUSAND! They have sold 28500 tickets for Wembley. Where were the rest today
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Anthony Taylor called back two legitimate goal chances for us. This game could’ve easily finished six or seven to one.
I hope Koscielny isn’t crocked too badly. However, we have Debuchy, Gabriel and Chambers waiting to take over without a loss in quality. We are more than stacked in the CB position.
Sterling under the tutelage of Wenger would be an assassin. He was England’s most exciting player in the world cup.
Adams breaks Cesc the diver’s nose and scores a scorcher. Hahahaha!
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Already the journalists are ruining the fun moment of Charlie Adam’s ridiculous goal. Instead of us being allowed to chuckle about it and enjoy his good fortune they are mindlessly repeating that it was goal of the season. I cannot count how many goals we have scored that were better in every respect than a massive punt from 50 yards but still they are determined to set the agenda and people are parroting them.
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a good week for some of Arsenal’s schoolboy teams, our U14’s are in the Nike cup final in May and our U13’s (may be U12’s) have just reached tomorrow’s St Kevin Boys Club Academy cup Final after a penalty shootout win over St Kevin boys, will play deportivo la coruna in the final who beat Celtic in a penalty shootout in the other semi final.
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Steww
This is another superb article.
I do hope the flu flies away, quickly.
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This from Barney Ronay’s piece in the Guardian:
“Dear Mr Sterling. Thank you for your interest in the role of attacking midfielder. Please be assured we will keep your details on file should a similar position arise in the future.”
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New DM please? Coq v L
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YqX4cwuoRJs
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eduardo, you really are a reprehensible scoundrel. For starters, if Mesut had scored a goal like Charlie Adams’s today, you’d be saying what a genius he was (me too.) But because it’s the Abominable Charlie, it’s of no account.
Secondly, on the day when Anthony Taylor has a generally good game, you still keep trotting out the same old clichés. Sure, he got some calls wrong – with players these days going down at the waft of a pixie’s fan, it’s inevitable – but he was not fooled by RS’s diving, he tried to keep play flowing, and the penalty decision, red card and all the yellows were spot on. By all means slate him when he has a nightmare but give credit where and when it’s due. Even the stop for Henderson’s possible head injury is understandable, irritating though it may have been at the moment. Can went ploughing into him, no holds barred – he fortunately missed his intended target in a red shirt. He’s a bit of a loose cannon that guy, despite his undoubted talent.
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great win we are one game at a time – 3 pts each and lets see how the seasons finishes…. hose annoying loses to stoke, sutton and Swansea spring to mind!
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What was WS1 not on th bench?
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Nice vid, Rantetta. Certainly a MoM performance. He seems to have got his timing issues sorted out. Keeps it simple most of the time, just winning the ball and moving it on, but is still capable of spotting and executing passes like that wonderful one down the wing for Alexis. Tried it again a bit later but just overhit it. So happy he’s signed a new contract. Another player who has had lots of injury problems and come good, despite his time on loan not looking too promising. He was involved in the OT débâcle which may have shaken his confidence. Now repaying AW’s faith in him.
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Rib injury apparently TS.
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Of then… dont want any unnecessary tension in the team… team first… let the winning team continue and anyone called upon to slot in like Gabriel, should!
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dkg what you on about, I said reports say Adams goal was “goal of the season”
as for Taylor, if we wait till he costs us a game its dismissed as “sour grapes”, so no better time than after a win to highlight another poor performance from him – is there any other kind from him
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Steww @6.37 pm all 4 of our goals today were outstanding, we hardly ever score a mundane goal
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The goal scorer smiles. The defender, crestfallen. The ref?
There’s no mischief in calling out these refs. Prior to a 2nd watch of the full game, I can say with certainty that the ref done his utmost to thwart Arsenal. By the 2nd half the gloves came off. Ramsey kicked, Ozil kicked. The sent off guy should’ve gone earlier.
I’ve knicked this from another forum as my version would go on forever, inc. refs. to past Taylor “performances”, for Arsenal and others:
“Menace
April 4, 2015 at 6:47 pm
I was at the game & anyone who says the referee wasn’t too bad needs an intelligence test. Taylor cheated all game. He ignored fouls by Liverpool players particularly Sterling who was holding Mertesaker most of the time. He did the same to Bellerin. He should have been booked several times yet he got away with a dive for a penalty. The advantage rule is cleverly abused by Taylor giving advantage where a free kick would have been preferable. He also stopped play when he had no good reason apart from Riley’s orders. Taylor actually lifted one Liverpool player after he had fouled an Arsenal attack. I was just waiting to see if he was going to kiss him. He & his assistants cheated us all game but despite that we rodgered Liverpool 4 – 1.
So up yours PGMO & all those who applaud your idiots.”
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We got “decisions” too.
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the changing face of the Arsenal first team
Arsenal FC @Arsenal · 20 Aug 2011
Team to play Liverpool: Szczesny, Sagna, Vermaelen, Koscielny, Jenkinson, Frimpong, Ramsey, Nasri, Arshavin, Walcott, Van Persie
Arsenal FC @Arsenal · 14h 14 hours ago
Arsenal team to play Liverpool: Ospina, Bellerin, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal, Coquelin, Cazorla, Ramsey, Ozil, Alexis, Giroud
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It is what it is…
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QueenofSuburbia @QueenofSuburbia · 9h 9 hours ago
Today would have been a good day to get the Wenger out banner from storage to you know, prove you’re not knee jerk doucebags..
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Rantetta, really cant see how you thought taylor had a good game, as he got alot wrong today. decisions in our favour are still wrong decisions and dont promote a ref to having a good game. I think we are so used to refs having absolute stinkers that when someone has just a bad game were quite happy, especially when we win. The amount of unpunished challenges pool got away with could have made the difference in a closer game. Just one other thought stoke received six yellows at chelski yesterday put that against our battles with them and you may think there’s an agenda there.
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Good morning Positivistas and another fine morning to be an Arsenal supporter.
Universal acclaim for the club’s demolition of Liverpool in the mainstream media. an interesting comment in one as to how the two clubs appear superficially the same, wealthy but not oil rich, history, benign and patient US owners, intelligent and articulate managers. On the field yesterday however the glaring difference in the quality of players was demonstrated.
Tragically I missed yesterday’s game but I may just settle down to enjoy it today – even unto the infamy of Anthony Taylor
As I have often said about referees before it is no good turning on them as youngsters. You have to nurture them, encourage them, gently guide them toward a proper performance. Arsene understands this. With Taylor, Dean and Clattenberg we are seeing the fruit of his labour this season.
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hector stop it…just stop. ozil mucho grande spectacular maestro cobra …alexis now why did you do that ? they had to get another football after that shot…damaged goods….
i was annoyed in second half when opzil ramsey and alexis were barged into from some liverpool aggressor while breaking at speed and the ref gave nothing……. it could have been 8…
coqlin first half ..i gave him a 10… it was coqlin vs liverpool..and he owned them.
i only realised gabriel was in about the 70th minute..seemless transition
i felt for kolo..the only invincible left in the league…naughty ramsey showed no respect….
happy easter to all..enjoy the day!
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just want to give a word to the wise about a great new comedian I seen yesterday, he dresses up as a pirate and does a regular turn on Arsenalfantv, his stage name is bully and he comes out with some real crackers, like, “Jenkinson should be our back up defensive midfielder next season”, I’ve no doubt that he will be a major star once the word gets out there, so remember the name, bully.
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Tragically I missed yesterday’s game
first half i was frightened….the manner those goals went in …scared me a bit….what is this? this nuclear…too fast..too precise….what drugs are they on? the whole stadium chanting? standing ovation at half time? no no no no ….this is too boring…..
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bully is a devine figure of the stands..you cant talk like that about him..he has earned the right to select the squad and give team talks. Our friend, bully
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a or b
No, I don’t think the ref had a good game.
eduardo
Great scouser commentary. That’s way better than the usual suspects come up with.
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Interesting how they have not replayed the ‘penalty’ from multiple angles, only the one from the angle where it looked like a penalty. From where I was sitting behind the goal it looked like Hector got the ball and Sturridge was lucky to get anything. I thought at the time that Taylor gave it because he did not give it for the obvious Sterling dive earlier (not carded). I can see why he gave the penalty if he saw it from the angle shown on TV, and equally surprised, but pleased he did not see fit to give Hector a second yellow.
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Alexis really enjoys playing football, all of it. Great to see.
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How did Gabriel play? I haven’t been able to see a proper replay so would appreciate your views.
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Ranty I think AorB meant to write: “dkgÖÖnér”!
Don’t think it’s fair to lump Clattenburg in there alongside Smeagol an Deagol, he’s no ring wraith and seems to have had the respect of most save of course, no alarms and no surprises, from the life of Riley.
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Grabriel played well, nothing spectacular, good solid performance. I think he will be another Koscielny, a superb find….
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Thanks Steww.
Afternoon all you ‘divas.
I see a lot of people are still in denial over what they say yesterday, it kind of shatters a lot of AAA believe systems.
Arsene could give the entire outfield team a weeks holiday and play this second team against Burnley:
Debuchy, chambers, Gabby, Gibbs
Ateta, Flamini,
Theo, Rosicky, Wilshere,
Welbeck
Diaby, Bielek, Gnabry, Crowley and Zelamen on the bench.
Put that in yer pipe and smoke it, Haters.
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Ed
I have no problem with Jenks coming back to the mothership next season, whatever his role. He is 6’1″ so could be tall enough to be converted to a CB, with Chambers being trained into CDM.
He gets a free pass with me because he was a Gooner as a kid,
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Kane is captain, so so very spursy.
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You cannot take Michael Owen seriously anymore, (if ever you did!)
http://www.snappytv.com/tc/538529/116459
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Poor old Michael Owen, such sour grapes….
http://www.snappytv.com/tc/538529/116459
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Where are my posts going WordPress?
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What is going on?
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I can see your posts
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