Good morning Positivistas from a dark Norfolk at a little after 6 this morning.
An early start to Wednesday and just the vaguest lightening in eastern sky as I ponder last night’s events and how to describe and interpret them.
A howl of frustration and a shriek of disappointment would be appropriate to clear the system. With that important emotional ablution performed so to the game.
After the sumptuous enjoyment of the Leicester game I quipped that last night was all about the result and sod the quality of the football. And so the evening turned out. 94 minutes in which for long periods Arsenal dominated possession at above 70%, played attractive football, 654 passes, and had 18 shots, 13 on target. For long periods of the second half the visitors were penned up in the final third of the pitch and with all eleven men behind the ball. And yet the evening ended in defeat for us and triumph for the men in blue.
The events of the game I am reasonably sure are vivid in all our minds hence to repeat the sequence of events again does not seem sensible. A couple of the incidents will linger longer in the mind than I might wish.
Let me attempt to say what went right last night.
Alexis ran his arse off and was a constant threat to the Greeks every time he was on the ball. His second headed goal in a week, this time from a lovely chip from Theo was of the best quality. Theo finished his chance well and looked full of confidence in the first half. In the second, as space reduced and the Greeks were packed back around their box he was less able to contribute. Another useful learning night, and a goal to show for it. The introduction of Ramsey appeared to have been the key to breaking Olympiakos’s resolute defence and he was superb for the 30 minutes he was on. Ox’s performance came in for some ‘stick’ last night and I thought that was unfair. Being blamed for the own goal was ludicrous as the shot hitting the outside of his boot was unavoidable. He worked hard, won the ball and like Sanchez was a persistent thorn. Our attacking play and two goals were enough to have won that game.
What went less well was the defence. Clearly the finger of doom must point at our Colombian stopper for a moment of pure madness but from the outset the back five looked nervy, as though they had never come across opposition who wanted to take them on. Most uncharacteristic of Kosc and, from the times I have seen him, Gabriel. Kieran was uncomfortable all evening. Very little was smooth at the back, players showed almost no composure and that edginess encouraged the Greeks.
And to concede a soft third when we had battled so hard to score our equalizer ……….
That is one of the incidents that will stick in my mind, for all the wrong reasons.
There are lessons to be learned from last night, and mainly I think they are lessons about the players’ approach to the game. It may be that like me the players were too focussed on the ‘result’, not concentrating on their own football. I have in mind also preparing insufficiently for opponents they do not know well. And concentration – ah yes concentration – for every single one of those 94 minutes.
And our opponents ?
A really competent display from every man in blue. They came with a reputation for solid defending but having seen Olympiakos before I took that with a pinch of salt but that proved foolish on my part; Siovas and Costa were rock like, the clever Elabdeloui a top quality full back. At times they were severely stretched and twice broken open by Arsenal goals. They regrouped and stuck to their plan though. Their coach Marco Silva must be delighted.
So what next?
As with our previous recent defeats we have the benefit of no time to dwell on our disappointment with the red Mancs due on Sunday. Indeed the table-topping Mancs due, and the proverbial “six pointer” for both clubs’ PL hopes. No time for regrets or for hiding. We have hills to climb together on Sunday. Bavaria can wait, for now.
And as I draw this epistle to an end the sun is up, the day is begun, enjoy yourselves!
Positively Arsenal 
This is not the blog for people who choose to believe that there are “fundamental problems” at AFC.
Quite the opposite. Looking at the club’s record. Two FA cups in two years one from two-nil down no less and no they weren’t taking Hull for granted (I’d mention Probert but I won’t hehe!) And the title of the blog. etc.
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Really strange how you refuse to acknowledge our role in the game, Andy. Heck let’s look at our first! That was pretty lucky no? Would you say that was an inspired gk? Of course not that was shite and everyone knows it.
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The red cards for arteta ramsey and giroud certainly point to a habit in the CL.
Not sure it’s AFC’s habit to be fair. Go and have a look at ’em!
If you want to go overboard with your critique then you have to be able to take some critique of, well, your critique.
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Thats a fair point, fins. Not sure its a good thing though. One could easily take a look at our number of chances and conversion rate and fairly raise a few doubts as to whether we are picking the correct option. But I trust Wenger has seen it and noted it. Now we just have to correct it. Hopefully before Sunday.
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Giroud deserved that last sending off in my book, fins. He pulled a Coutinho ahead of Man United. Just absolutely lost his head against a Zagreb side that aren’t exactly top shelf. He really needs to pick himself up and get on with things instead of playing the victim all game.
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Loomer – it appear you have missed this in the original post;
Let me assist
What went less well was the defence. Clearly the finger of doom must point at our Colombian stopper for a moment of pure madness but from the outset the back five looked nervy, as though they had never come across opposition who wanted to take them on. Most uncharacteristic of Kosc and, from the times I have seen him, Gabriel. Kieran was uncomfortable all evening. Very little was smooth at the back, players showed almost no composure and that edginess encouraged the Greeks.
And to concede a soft third when we had battled so hard to score our equalizer ……….
That is one of the incidents that will stick in my mind, for all the wrong reasons.
There are lessons to be learned from last night, and mainly I think they are lessons about the players’ approach to the game. It may be that like me the players were too focussed on the ‘result’, not concentrating on their own football. I have in mind also preparing insufficiently for opponents they do not know well. And concentration – ah yes concentration – for every single one of those 94 minutes.
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It is rare day when the defeat of Chelsea and of Jose at the club he quit merits not a single mention on this estimable digital organ.
Admit it you’d forgotten !
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So it was our approach coupled with an inspired Olympiakos was it? Does beating an uninspired team make one inspired? Your ideas as to what happened have an air of doublespeak about them imo
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Sorry, Loomer, but I had just spent 15 minutes of my break time scrolling through post after post about how pathetic we were and hashing over who’s to blame. You’ll forgive me if it feels a little closer to jumping off a cliff than this blogs’ typical tone. I have no problem with discussing positives (of which there were plenty) and negatives (of which there were plenty), but it’s all a bit overwrought today. I’m the one that’s being dramatic? It didn’t seem that way to me…although I will cop to using hyperbole to make my point.
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That third goal simply cannot be justified at any level
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I think my ideas as to what happened have a preference for a plurality of origin in the final outcome than single factor causation. ( banned winkey thing)
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But you do have a problem with discussing negatives, Alabama. You clearly implied the two or three people doing so were borderline suicidal. That is wholly unnecessary and does this place a disservice imo. We all saw what happened it was pretty gross.
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I’m hoping for two more fuck-ups tonight.
If we’re going to be miserable – let’s do it in Kompany.
geddit?
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That looks great written like that Anicoll but to call that an inspired Olympiakos side is simply a stretch of the imagination imo.
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Right, DC. Because we have just been waiting to stick the boot in haven’t we?
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It is all part of being a fan Loomer – when the opposition is struggling swooping like vultures
tbh the form of both Wolfsburg and Monchengladbach so far in the Bundeslega have been pretty dire so I travel in hope rather than certainty
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No sir. I don’t have a problem with discussing negatives. Andrew did it in his blog. Others have done it today quite well. It may not be my choice, but I don’t have a problem with others doing it. I noted some of the over-the-top-ness of today’s iteration, is all. And I’ve acknowledged my use of hyperbole. No one else seems to want to acknowledge theirs, though.
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Miserable isn’t the word either. Disappointed is more like it. I have nothing to be miserable about and I’m surely not going to let football make me miserable. The greater urge to define yourself positively at the expense of others here is really funny. Says a lot about the place when even a light wiff of dissent gets you the miserable label. On that note I shall go listen to Gin Blossoms New” Miserable Experience” if for nothing but to display my willingness to be in sync.
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*”New Miserable Experience”
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Please point to where I used hyperbole in discussing yesterday’s events?
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That’s fine anicoll. Can one have hope and remain objective though is the question that no one wants to answer. I have raised multiple issues and I’m really not sure how you see me singling out a particular issue as the cause. In a team with 11 working parts there is never going to be a single cause is there?
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One must always have hope Looms
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And faith – oh yes one must have faith in our club
But the greatest Loomer what is the greatest thing we must have ??
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http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/20150930/jonker-on-the-win-and-pleguezuelo
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Agreed. But does it always necessarily have to be the prevailing feeling and is it possible for such a feeling to take a backseat briefly in the the name of objectivity? That is all I’m saying. Its been a real joy my friend as this clearly beats work but it’s lunch time and burger and beer are calling. Catch you lot in a bit.
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Thats simple. Beer
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Objectivity?
This is a better Arsenal team and squad then the one that tonked a Porto team including the overhyped and over priced mules Falcao & Hulk 6-0. Their record proves that.
How’s that for objectivity? And what does it tell us about this predominantly youngish squad?
They might not qualify for the next round and then go on to beat the Tinies in Thursday Cup final, who knows not me.
My prevailing feeling is that more worrying the the result or errors for the third was the niggle for Koscielny re. Sunday. Speaking of which, minutes into their game and Wolfsburg take the lead! There’s still time to wag the dog.
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Schneidy and Schweiny couldn’t write that goal out of their D**M.
C’mon VW, if any club or team needs a victory this week it’s them!
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I never rated Falcao or Hulk. Falcao I’d rate slightly more but still not even enough to register a rating.
Wenger chose to set his stall out that way so I won’t blame our troubles on a youngish squad. I’d just put it down to not being prepared and perhaps a bit of arrogance by the manager. We passed up a great opportunity to strengthen our squad and rotations a bit but chose not to.
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Who switched the lights out?
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the team out there yesterday was fully capable of doing much better than they did yesterday.. nothing was wrong with the team selection.. too convenient and letting the payers off… Ox should concentrate more! what a diff ospina catching that a step out would hae made… small margins… but we were punished.
ospina made some great saves last season… cech did not suddenly become the only one capable of keeping just cos ospina made mistakes…
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Top top performances from both Manchester sides tonight – totally outplayed Wolsburg and Monchengladbach – my word yes
Admittedly two shockingly soft penalties made the difference.
But that is football – I fancy the Sunday
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happy for the PL at least… it was getting dire…
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I saw glimpses of the first half as I slipped in and out of consciousness, a state that somehow seemed surreally appropriate for the most bizarre of games. The second half passed me by completely, and that, judging by the comments, was probably just as well. The only report of the game I have read has been this one, the only feedback the various posts here. That the collective mood is bleak speaks legions.
It does seem to me that when neither Ramsey or Wilshere start we lack a little drive and urgency. They are probably not at their best when they have to play together, although I still have fond hopes that one day they might form a mighty partnership, but as rotational foils for each other it seems a consummation devoutly to be wished. And I fear that Gabriel was more affected and shaken up by the events the previous week than most imagined. How ridiculous to think that a player could be affected by the sort of furore that suddenly propelled him onto the back pages of all the papers, and even the front page of a few. Especially one who is so far from home, so young and so near the beginning of his new linguistic journey. He will find his form again, especially so when he has the calming influence of Petr Cech behind him I guess.
As for the silly goal, the keeper had no chance once he was off his line, had no Giroud clearing the near post, and suddenly had to cope with an astonishingly accurate and swerving cross. These things happen, but I suspect that unless he is contractually guaranteed a start he will not play again for a while. I felt for him as the moment unfolded: it was agonisingly familiar.
And yes, these things are happening too often right now and it seems to me that they are certainly happening too often at home. Is it the manager’s fault? The players’? The weight of expectation? The not altogether positive fans? The dimensions of the pitch? The state of the turf? Something of all of these I suspect, and I’m not sure how best to put it right. Finer minds than mine will be working on it, of that I am sure, and fingers crossed that some solutions are found. Because what is happening at the moment isn’t doing anyone any good, apart from the bookmakers, and that is no place to be. The players are nervous rather than complacent at The Emirates I sense, and we could really do with some high-scoring successes to restore the balance. It would be nice to start on Sunday.
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Liam Brady on Irish TV last night, basically said some of the players neglect their defensive duties, that they just want to do the fancy football, but don’t care about doing their jobs at corners and free kicks, also , when Johnny Giles had a right go about Ozil, Oxlade-Chamberlain and Walcott, saying that all 3 are a waste of space and AFC would never win the BPL or CL with them in the team, Brady did not defend any of the 3.
Brady was disgusted at the performance v Dynamo Zagreb, and admitted he was shocked at how awful the performance was on Tuesday. He normally fights the Arsenal corner, but he as much as said there is no defending the players over the 3 set piece goals conceded over the two games, and the soft 3rd goal on Tuesday. He seemed to only blame the players for this, and put it down to a poor attitude and lacking in focus. Which he again said is unacceptable.
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wenger now 19 years Arsenal manager
http://www.arsenal.com/history/the-wenger-years/wenger-is-appointed-as-arsenal-boss
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“unacceptable”
He is lucky Loomer wasn’t listening !
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Highbury Harry @BlackScarfAFC Sep 29
Arsenal fans, do not worry. Legend Adrian Clarke will appear on the club’s official channels & tell us everything is fine & we’re great.
36 retweets 39 favorites
Adrian Clarke @adrianjclarke Sep 29
@BlackScarfAFC No one tells me what to say & I’ll always be critical when it’s warranted. Cheap shot. Don’t drag me into your agenda.
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Heard Brady say something similar on talkshite radio Eduardo. strange, the forward who really does this dirty defensive work is the much maligned, and at times significantly missed Giroud. If this is true, they should bring in keown, and along with bould, set them on anyone neglecting defensive duties.
I was worried at the reports of some Scandanavian sounding Olym player who says they based their tactics on the fact some of ours do not like to defend, and that we don’t leave anyone on the edge of the pen area during set pieces. No idea how true this is, but if it is, things need rectifying and quickly.
I know I keep harping on about this, though he is not the most clinical finisher in the world, Giroud is very very important to this teams structure, and it’s defending, we miss him when he is not there, witness one and a half of our ECL games so far.
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Notice we are defensively weaker when Walcott plays at CF rather than Giroud …at least this season. I would pick the right games and situations to play the two, and start Giroud this weekend, with them coming on later in the game.
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Morning Mandy,
I read the reports of the Icelandic Mr Finnbogasson concerning “Arsenal don’t like to defend” comments faithfully reported as you would expect by the UK media ever keen to hear what such a renowned international footballer has to say, despite the fact it was his first CL game.
I am surprised one of those ‘smart as a whip’ pack of UK soccers journalists did not hit back with an inquiry as to why, given that “Arsenal don’t like to defend” his Greek side had depended on two own goals, one a deflection and the other the keeper dropping the ball into his own net, to win the game if it was so EASY.
To be fair I imagine Finnbogasson probably said a lot of things but the English media vermin only had eyes for the clickbait/out of context phrase to suit their own agenda.
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I saw a blinding comment elsewhere from a former contributor to our esteemed PA organ yesterday.
Apparently if we were to win the Premier League this season it would mean nothing as it would only prove that the other clubs in the EPL were shite.
No tongue in cheek, not joking. I kid you not. I imagine even young Pedro and a few Scarfists would struggle with that that one.
I wonit embarrass the person by naming them as you may still have fond memories.
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Ah, by euro standards eh, Andy?
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Arsenal don’t like to defend?
What if I told you that last season Arsenal conceded less goals than Manchester City, or Manchester United in 2014-2015 season. They conceded four more than the famously mean Chelsea defence, but remember we had no defenders available at all at the beginning of last season?
The season before? -4 more than winners City, but 9 less than second placed Liverpool.
How about the previous season then? Two less than mean old Chelsea.
There is a myth that Arsenal have a bad defence. Nearly everyone buys into the myth without looking at the facts.
The only problem is that when they do let in the occasional goal – it does look spectacularly calamitous.
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Striker reflects on the success of a corner routine that worked with the aid of a deflection? Hmmmm.
Personally I thought the comment about the Arsenal’s Football from the Football manager who’s team are atop the Football league, who arsenal are playing in a game (of football) on Sunday, were far more interesting.
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“Striker reflects on the success of a corner routine that worked with the aid of a deflection? Hmmmm.”
Well Finnbogasson had a good view from the bench I suppose !
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Very few goals are scored that are the result of pure brilliance from the attackers and no collusion from indolent or hapless defenders. However, when we score we tend to put it down to positive play from us: when we concede we concentrate on our lapses and downplay the contribution of their skill. That is the way of it, and it is the easiest thing in the world for any pundit to play on that essentially skewed perspective. Likewise when Giroud scores a spectacular goal it is easy to cite serendipity, so clearly do we remember his feet of clay moments. Walcott’s prodigious marksmanship of late is discounted because we have seen him miss easier chances. So too with keepers and defenders. Clean sheets are down to the toothlessness of the opposition: goals conceded an unwillingness to bleed for the club and do the hard graft. The very nature of choosing to support one side over 19 others suggests an immediate willingness to sacrifice balance, the desire to blame the manager when things go wrong an attempt to preserve the naivety of that original choice. It must be his fault: it can’t be mine for wanting my team to be the only perfection in an imperfect world.
We are all daft and ought to know well enough the ridiculousness of obsession. I smile at myself even while realising I have spent 20 minutes unproductively replaying past glories and imagining future triumph. What is sad of course is when obsession obliterates all reason and former contributors worship the shrine of Finnbogasson.
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Arsene giving it back to the press corps this morning!
And yet the are completely misquoting him afterwards – yet again.
Agenda driven pygmies.
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“One pundit says something on television and all behind that they repeat exactly the same thing. It is quite boring because nobody came out with numbers of this game where the game was won and lost. It’s quite depressing to read that and to hear that, to all come just to the same conclusion and not watch well what has gone on on the pitch. We have lost the game because we didn’t defend well, yes the goalkeeper made a mistake but we could still have won the game [despite] that.”
And some will claim the man does not read this blog – pah !
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exactly how i felt… the team out there was capable of winning the match – gk and all.. none was an inferior squad member… all have played better than this!
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