Positivistas Ho,
A little glow of satisfaction this morning I am sure warming us as we go about our daily chores as a result of last night’s events. I admit after Saturday’s disappointment and bad luck at the Hawthorns I was a little worried we would take the field under a cloud and take time to get going. The ‘cloud’ such as it was lasted all of five minutes. After that clear skies and warm sunshine.
Not just a satisfactory result, but a night on which our players showed what they can do with the ball, and just as importantly without the ball, to take apart Zagreb. I see the stats of possession on arse.com split the game just 53/47% in our favour. I don’t care, our 53% was twice as good as their 47%.
3-0 was, in my view, probably a slightly generous score to the Croatians given the balance of the contest. If we had knocked in five or six it might have better reflected our dominance.
I hardly need to point out our top performers in Alexis and Ozil, both superb even by their own lofty standards, but sound performances all over the pitch. ‘PROFESSIONAL’ that’s what we were last night ‘PROFESSIONAL’. The much derided Flamini bossed the centre of the park and I have noticed, whisper it quietly, he no longer gets booked every game. He may be 31 years old but he is an intelligent player who still is learning and adapting his game. If you keep fit and continue to keep your aggression under control Matty you have a long run in the side in front of you.
Talking of ‘much derided’ wasn’t Joel Campbell good last night ? Best game I have seen him for us, playing with real confidence in his touch and in taking on opposition players. His good effort provides Arsene with a bit of dilemma for Carrow Road on Sunday as to who to start on the right.
And Aaron ? Good to see him back and getting 25 minutes of action under his belt.
For our visitors a torrid evening but far play to them, they cracked but never shattered. The main reason we did not get to five or six was a top performance from keeper Eduardo, another gloved guardian who can look back on a good night at the Ems. 16 shots on target – that is busy !
So where does this leave us ?
With our fate very much in our own hands for what will be a HELL of a night in Piraeus on Wednesday the 9th. The killer issue for us is scoring goals. The question for the Greeks is whether to stick or twist. Intriguing, and I trust we will be getting UEFA’s top, top referee, for he will be in for a busy night. More of a steep hill than a mountain, but eminently conquerable if we show the same attitude from the first minute as was on display last night.
Enjoy your Wednesday and we shall meet later in the week.
Positively Arsenal 
Amazing how many of that ManU team were players that the moaners think Wenger missed out on. Smalling, Schneiderlin, Martial, Depay, Mata, Fuzzy-Wuzzy. They showed no urgency at all in the 60 minutes I watched. Even players being substituted were in no hurry to get off and let their replacements come on.
Guardian summary after MBM: “United boring and ineffective.” Just about sums up what I saw too. What a waste of money. The problem for van Gaal is that it’s clearly going to cost another fortune to sort out the weaknesses.
And what a way to use substitutes! He brings Young on to replace the ineffective Depay at left-wing. 16 minutes later he brings Mata on to replace the right-back and switches Young to right-back. Result: Young strolls around the last few minutes, contributing nothing and clearly not giving a fuck.
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Man U’s U19’s lost 5-0 to PSV U19’s today, and are bottom of their group. It must be all those English kids Scholes think they have.
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well if results go right, Arsenal will join man city in the next round as second place teams, and MUFC and CFC will go into the EL
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Interesting in the Youth League – Bayern kids bottom of their group and without a win yet; Lyon top of theirs, unlike the seniors.
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1886 @1886_blog 2h2 hours ago
Is Old Trafford known as “The Theatre of Dreams” because United’s football is so boring that it makes fans at the ground fall asleep?
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AFCPressWatch™ @AFCPressWatch 4h4 hours ago
Corinthians’ director of football: “I had lunch with Arsene Wenger and he asked about [Pato] and about others.” http://bit.ly/1SkDOKx
former Arsenal player Edu is Corinthians director of football
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just seen the goals from the cfc game last night, and must say what a surprise that a former Chelsea player needlessly got him self a straight red card when the match was still 0-0, I’m not saying he was paid off, I’d never do that.
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I seen some gooners laughing last night and today about Szczesny being on the end of Barca’s six goal haul last night, and I have just now seen the goals, and must say Szczesny was totally blameless, in fact 3 of the goals came when he made great saves and the rebound was scored, one of the saves was a penalty. Barca tore Roma apart and on several occasion two and three attackers in on Szczesny, simple square pass led to a goal, but all the Arsenal haters see is 6 goals and so it has to be Szczesny at fault.
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what was it that Mourinho was saying about managers should not talk about other clubs, the hypocrite
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/chelseas-jose-mourinho-stokes-rivalry-6900308?
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My wife was genuinely surprised when I told her that Manchester United faced a struggle to get out of the group stages. “But according to the media we are the only ones who have done badly, everyone else is sailing along” she said, albeit a bit less politely. And this of course is more than half the problem; for the past several seasons we are fed the belief we are a busted flush, that our woes are terminal, and all the others are leaving us behind. And then it doesn’t quite turn out like that, which annoys the pundits even more and leaves many fans not really able to enjoy whatever success has come our way. I almost hope this season we get knocked out of the FA Cup and Liverpool go on to win it, just so as the Arsenal hating world can be reminded that it is indeed a major trophy. Which it is, embroidered so deeply into the fabric of the English game/ English cultural history as it is.
And for any of you interested in the luck debate, this is worth a read. I don’t know Ed Smith, but his father was a colleague for many years so can vouch for the stable as it were.
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“successful cricketer made his own luck by an application of will power, elimination of error, and the relentless pursuit of excellence”.
The blurb says it all: “luck” is a word that covers really whats going on,a vast complexity of cause and reaction, going back to before that which comprehend as the start,its actually a vast of inter-realation.
Its similar to the word “lazy”,its just doesnt mean anything. Or as
dumb as saying to someone when asked “what are you doing?”and you reply “nothing”.
How can anyone be doing nothing? Its impossible.
But if youre convinced “luck” exists let me then not be the one to takes this term away each should think their own way into the nature of reality.
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The ‘negaholics’ can always suck the joy out of any event FH, its their condition. They can whip themselves into a self righteous and frustrated frenzy soon transfer window.
Thanks for the tip on the book, on looking on the Amazon page I also see Mike Brearley’s book on captaincy – it is now on the list
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I’m rather shocked to see Stevie me admit that he was not big enough, powerful enough, imposing enough or dominating enough for Liverpool to win the league,
well isn’t that what he meant when he spouted the usual bollocks about AFC needing a big powerful dominating CM if they want to win the league
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TEAM NEWS: OX, ARTETA, COQUELIN, WALCOTT
Arsène Wenger has revealed the latest team news ahead of Sunday’s game against Norwich City at Carrow Road:
on the team news…
We should have everyone available [from the Zagreb game], the players that played on Tuesday night plus maybe Oxlade-Chamberlain should be back in the squad.
on Arteta and Coquelin…
Arteta is short-term but Coquelin as I told you is much longer. The scans are positive because he does not need any surgery but it will be 12 weeks.
on Theo Walcott…
Not for Sunday. He goes through a few tests and steps but the first one was successful. He started running again on Tuesday morning and had no reaction.
Copyright 2015 The Arsenal Football Club plc. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit being given to http://www.arsenal.com as the sourc
Read more at http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/20151126/team-news-ox-arteta-coquelin-walcott#YHqmmvfZTzhO6ubV.99
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Wenger on Walcott: “He has another big hurdle to get across today and hopefully he can be successful.”
Raymond Verheijen: “Wenger at fault for Walcott injury, as he has him crossing hurdles that are too big for him”
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I think the hurdles are a mistake – something smaller would be good – bales of hay say ?
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seen a report that Arsenal will be wearing our third kit v Norwich on Sunday, seems odd that we would not wear our red and white kit
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Wenger on Black Friday: “I love a bargain! But if you do not need two TVs, do not buy two.”
Wenger: “I bought Vieira for £2.5m, that was a bargain. But he also had the quality. For me, Ozil at £40m is also a bargain.”
Wenger on the January window: “We are in a position where we want to do something – if I find the right quality.”
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Theo Walcott in training to cross big hurdles successfully
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Mills: I think the point of Smith’s book is he originally thought he could control everything, but was forced to realise that that was an illusion. And it is perhaps what lies outside a human’s control that is the really interesting stuff – but as interesting and perhaps praiseworthy is the amount that can be (and has been) controlled.
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To control everything opens up another debate. We cant, there are too many factors already underway in the great web of cause and reaction amongst humans and in nature. But the question is can we control our reaction, and that has been proved already that it is possible. Of course its very difficult, but it is possible.Is just a case of understanding or examining the nature of reality.
But even what youve written doesnt clarify what you mean by luck. Ive already argued that theres none, either we are free and subjected to a billion polemics every moment or we are living a life of fate through God’s already worked out plan for each and everyone of us, which also is mind boggling and beyond anyones abilty(at least as far as I can see at the moment) to record such detail ( when you look Joyce it is really a poor effort, although brave and ground breaking) or some strange mixture of the two.
Why did the Buddha say “we are what we think?”. If Decartes said “I think therefore I am ” what happen if these two are mixed together? So is the phrase birds of a feather flock together, true what attracts them? So onto the bane of intellectuals due to its association with spiritual thinking, but what of the law of attraction? Are there freak accidents? The west is only starting to make inquiries into such thinking, but it raises too many awkward questions.Even quantum physics is under a vast barrage of criticism all the time.These are the people that search for “nothing”.
Im quite happy to bow down and say Im wrong if somebody can come forward and show me luck,what it actually is and where it is other than just a blanket term.Theres no more luck than there is a car its just a all encompassing term to describe a collection of elements. But a “car” does not exist.Pull it apart and see for yourself.This isnt soem pseudo intellectual game Im playing, is the borad daylight truth, but we are short sighted due to our education ( I speak not of o levels or degrees).
The idea “luck” is even more complicated, as the “car” we think we see(even if its an illusion), yet luck is invisible…?as if we applying this to foootball, it can only be good or bad physics in relation to other physics/chemistry and biology/climatelogy etc.Or again, its Gods will.If things are Gods will then it brings up even more questions that I wrote about yesterday;ie relatvity, morals etc and the notion of Absolute. this doesnt even have anything to do with “belief”. Even the div in the film Titanic whilst greasing uo to LDC said “we make our own luck”.To me thats bullshit. theres that term again luck describing nothing in particular and playing its plastic magic.
I saw on the cover of the book, some dice to symbolise “luck”. But thats not “luck, its a system of physics showing patterns of predicatbility and unpredictabilty.But what if we can impose our will ( through some kind of energy, for as the physists say we are all energy, some fast some slow) on the dice? We know we can impose out will on slow forms of energy but what if we can on that which the spectrum of the human eye cannot see.Buts thats stil not luck its will.Certainly we are emotionally sensitive more advanced than through sight. And again was Mr.Smiths life only fate? After all realtive/Absolute or even Absolute God knows our beginnings and ends as it is free of time. We pray but God already knows/knew we would pray.Our realtionship to time and motion by our limited thought means we cannot at this point know our lives beyond the system we are already in.even so if Mr.Smiths life was fate, then there was no luck.
But some humans have already gone beyond this, but the Buddhas are cursed by the patronsing of western imperialism and its inconclusive scientific evidence.But in a world of flux what is conclusive? Only something beyond dualistic thinking? Hoow do we get there? Even to imagine it becomes only rooted in the realtive again.
Most people think that Buddhism is a religion, its not.Even the term Buddhism is a western corruption, there is no such word as Buddhism in Buddhism.Buddhism if anything is a science.How could the gautauma have worked it all out? Well he had a mind.The west doesnt like it that a bloke from India/Nepal worked it all out, agter all he didnt have a phd at Harvard/Oxford.Maybe the Buddha was wrong, how shoudl I know? By examining, and putting the bullshit detector on him.
To be honest I dont think any of us really understand who we are or how we are living, because of the dogshit way we are educated from birth (im putting myself first) and we as humans know very little of our relationship with the world and one another, we swim in the shallowest of seas in fear of one another mostly blind.
Mostly as humans we are not knowing. We are real, but not really real.
So was X unlucky to score? No, they didnt get the combination of physics and reaction and intellect right to score.
Was Y lucky to win the 3rd rnd cup replay.No Side a) didnt get the above combination right and team b) did in some way ort another.
Despite the reaction from many yesterday, Im happy to be proved wrong.Really, Iam.Even though “I” dont exist. (banned smiley).
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young defender O’Connor joins York on one month loan deal
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No discussion of ‘luck’ is complete without reference to Tottenham Hotspur Football Club.
Currently I am viewing their struggles in Qarabag – a truly grim effort far far from home.
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Congratulations and happy birthday to Danny Welbeck and Gabriel Paulista – the Arsenal duo both turn 25 today!
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I hope Stefan does well at york, he has done well in all the youth setups and only lost his place when Bielik was moved to CB. Bielik has certainly not done enough to earn his CB birth so I can only assume that it’s part of his all round education. Of course Stefan has been the one to lose out through no fault of his own.
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O’Connor was out injured at the start of the season, and that is why Bielik was able to be moved to CB. Bielik confirmed on Arsenal.com that his move to CB is to help develop his overall game, improve his heading ability, and better understand what the CB wants from the DM. Although it is said that the coaches are impressed by his performances at CB and think he could have a long term future there, but no decision has been made on it yet.
Its a pity pleggy was not loaned out, he surely is ready for first team experience
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Get French Football @GFN_France 3h3 hours ago
Breaking: Samir Nasri offered to play the role of intermediary between Mathieu Valbuena & the blackmailers, per Le Monde
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arsenal to open soccer schools all across China
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/20151126/arsenal-announce-partnership-with-irena
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arsenal upgraded the stadiums lighting during the summer, which now allows for light shows prematch
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Eduardo, it looked better from the upper tier with the music and flags being waved at the same time
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These blackmailers know more footballers than Jorge Mendes
They should give up crime and become agents – unless they are a bit fussy
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Ed,
I really can’t believe anyone let alone coaches can be impressed with his performances at CB, Peggy has been getting him out of jail all season.
When he steps into midfield he is masterful and has time on the ball but at CB he looks clumsy and makes wrong decisions regularly.
I do think he will make an excellent player but I will really be surprised if its at CB
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Wenger has said that he will continue to use Ramsey on the right of midfield, as it gives the team more balance, and that a Ramsey – Cazorla partnership in CM would not be balanced as it would be too adventurous. Also that playing Ramsey as a DM would affect too much of his natural game, which is to recieve the ball, and to get in the box and score. Wenger said with Cazorla, Ozil and Alexis in the team, Ramsey gives the team balance by playing on the right.
but then we are told Wenger don’t do balance in the team
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Where the hell is Stew? That is the question.
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The match is tomorrow Shotts – Stew weaves his blog of a thousand colours on the morning of the game.
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Oh, oh. I thought it was today A5. My bad.
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youth results
West Ham U18’s 2-2 Arsenal U18’s – Nketiah both AFC goals
West Ham U16’s 2-3 Arsenal U16’s
Nketiah is having a fine scoring season for the U18’s, I think its 9 so far in 7+7 games
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OXLADE-CHAMBERLAIN AND SANCHEZ FIT, WHILST FOUR YOUNGSTERS TRAIN WITH ARSENAL FIRST-TEAM PRE-NORWICH
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was in full training today, with the winger, who has been out with a hamstring problem since last month, likely to be included in the squad for tomorrow’s Premier League game away to Norwich City.
Alexis Sanchez and Joel Campbell, who were considered slight doubts for the game at Carrow Road, both came through the session unscathed, whilst youngsters Jeff Reine-Adelaide, Alex Iwobi, Krystian Bielik and Chris Willock all trained with the squad.
Mikel Arteta is out with a slight calf problem, although a date is yet to be scheduled for his return.
Theo Walcott, meanwhile, could recover from his injury in time to feature against Sunderland next weekend, with Jack Wilshere likely to return at some point in December.
Tomas Rosicky and Danny Welbeck aren’t due to make their comebacks from serious knee problems until January, while Francis Coquelin will be out for three months with a knee ligament injury.
Possible team:
Cech
Bellerin-Mertesacker-Koscielny-Monreal
Flamini-Cazorla
Ramsey-Ozil-Sanchez
Giroud
Subs: Ospina, Debuchy, Gabriel, Gibbs, Chambers, Campbell, Oxlade-Chamberlain.
Posted in Uncategorized on November 28, 2015 by Jeorge Bird.
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Arsenal Fixture News @AFCFixtureNews 3h3 hours ago
Today’s U18 Line Up
Huddart
Chatzitheodoridis
Pileas
da Silva
da Graca
T Bola
J Willock
Mourgos
Nketiah
Dragomir
Fortune
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Come one Saints!
One more please!!!
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Bournemouth finding how unkind football can be especially when at the bottom. Then they score. That’s what Toffess get for celebrating early. Ha, Ha, Ha.
That is why I love this game!
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Watching ManYoo is usually a waste of 90 minutes of my life but I have hopes that Ranieri’s boys might take ’em apart.
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Isn’t it a shame football teams allover have such bad fans. Bournemouth having just conceded saw a mass exodus from the ground. All those fans that missed a great ending to the game and a great effort by their team. I thought having seen their team occupy the lower divisions for so long they would appreciate what might be their only season in the PL but hey.
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Not much of a game – useful result for us
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Congrats to Jamie Vardy for taking that record from Van N against ManU of all teams. Still room for “late developers” it seems.
3 points tomorrow very important (maybe 3 pints too).
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For those who think we have no chance of winning the title, Man United bored us to a 1-1 draw vs Leicester while we spanked them by scoring 5 goals.
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Good to see that Ox is back – maybe – tomorrow. Follows on nicely from Aaron the other night. Theo next it seems. Things beginning to move in the right direction but no counting chickens. Ox usually takes a while to find his full match fitness and form. Let’s hope people can be patient.
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well for the third match in a row Arsenal have the chance to go top of the league, this time with the most difficult target of the three games, we need to win by 5 goals or more.
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