Good morning to you from Norfolk on Saint Andrew’s Day. There may be dancing in the streets later on. Thus far not.
I do not intend to write much about yesterday’s game at Carrow Road. It was not a game that inspired the muse, well my muse anyway. On the day a point was earned. I have to be content. The PL ground we hoped to be able to make up on our rivals we did not, but other than Citeh none of those rivals did much this weekend to extend their scintilla of a lead or close the gap behind us. We lose two more players to injury, two players who had been injured came back. We require a week of rest and of careful preparation for the Black Cats who come into town with sprits and results raised by the balloon that is Fat Sam. As I mentioned yesterday perhaps after all, not a bad week to be out of the Capital One Cup and another potential battering. Sunlun appear to have unearthed a good young player in Watmore of whom we shall hear more. I shall be there. I expect every man to do his best. As we move into December our spirits traditionally rise, and so it should be this year.
Taking a pace back from the daily fracas that is the Premier League, or so it sometimes feels like, it does no harm to place recent domestic results in perspective. Two points off the front of the pack and no one in the top four/five/six teams playing with consistency. For each of the sides, other than Leicester ironically, one game excellent, by the next game their piecrust has crumbled. As we led the PL after 14 games two seasons back in early December we had 34 points. Chelsea had 39 points after 14 games last season. ( Whatever happened to Chelsea?) The joint leaders today have 29. The opportunity is there for us, indeed for any club, to seize this trophy.
Is there a reason for this pile-up at the top of the PL with clubs tripping over one another and not able to put a string of decent results together? In line with the discussions on here last week on the topic of ‘luck’ there is undoubtedly a set of elements causing the chaotic effect. I’m buggered if I can see what has changed so radically over the past few months.
If English League football is a riddle inside an enigma at the moment then our European form, horribly shakey at the start of the season, is now much more on track. We were superb against Zagreb in case anyone’s memory has faded over the past six days. Progress in our own hands. I see Olympiakos had an straightforward win over the weekend at home and have two domestic games before meeting us on the 9th.
Right that will do me this Monday morning. I have my own opportunities to seize!
Positively Arsenal 
A couple of years ago AW said that due to the excellence of the coaching programmes around Europe (though not alas true of England), and the better scouting systems in place in Africa and South America, the pool of good players available to Premier League clubs was getting bigger and bigger – and it was therefore harder for the rich to corner the market in excellence. If that is true then it is no surprise that there have been so many ‘surprise’ results.
I wonder too if the runaway success of Chelsea last year harmed the League’s claim to be the most exciting in the world. It seems to me that one way to level a playing field is for the officials to ‘manage’ a game rather than enforcing the rules properly, and I do wonder if some sleight of hand is going on in that respect. The top clubs do not seem to be getting so many calls go their way this season, especially in the box. And, of course, there is a big difference if the top six clubs from the previous season are having to play more matches than the remaining 14, not to mention being hit harder by International breaks, of which there seems to be an increasing proliferation. So unusual though it may be, the log-jam at the top of the table may well be a taste of things to come, while a glance at the bottom three suggests that big clubs need to do more than trade on name and past glories, and that newly promoted teams rely heavily on their best players being fit and available. As indeed do all clubs, but of course the greater depth that money brings allows injuries to be less catastrophic, however disappointing they may be.
But what is clear is should any club hit a rich vein of form over the next two months and string a run of victories together, they are likely to make a significant title-winning claim. Which is why I suggested yesterday that I had seen nothing over the weekend that stopped me thinking that The Arsenal were going to win the League. The point is that we really haven’t played very well this season. There have been moments of brilliance, to be sure, and some decent wins, but lots of times when it has felt that something has been missing. Important players on the easy list hasn’t helped, and nor have moments of profligacy in front of goal – or poor defending at the other end either. The players and manager have talked a good game all season, without ever quite convincing that they have believed what they are saying, and I feel the reality is too many of the team have just been a little out of form at the same time. This happens: players do have periods when they play better, just as they have times when their timing is just fractionally out. I am not blaming them for this, for they are not machines, and I know they will be working hard to put things right. I do wonder why we so often seem out of form in November though, but as Andy Nic so rightly says, we are all but out of that particular slump month.
We have lots of good players and one or two very good ones. Things will click, of that I am sure. I think we will be just fine, and am trying to work out how I might manage to sneak up to London this coming Saturday….
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Please do FH – I am off the leash !
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xx
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Well played st Andrew. Arsenal is family and as a family that share love for each others we shall only see the good in each others and hope for the best. 2 points off the pace with still everything to play for.
Not an ideal result over the weekend and by no means do I feel they let me down, they let Arsène Wenger down and I’m sure they know it. Just like I’m sure they’ll do all to make that right.
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The old fart’s thoughts:
This was a predictable and unnecessary loss of 2 points and 2 players. Why tempt the fates when you have previous experience of bad things happening when…..
a) It’s November
b) Norwich 2012 “Some prat thought it would be a good idea to fly to Norwich. Going up and down so quickly…it’s all of a 15 minute flight… upsets nervous tummies.” Norwich 1 Arsenal 0 plus to rub salt into the wounds, the Ox comes on for less than a minute and gets injured. We don’t lose to Norwich…do a Shankley; “Throw our shirts onto the pitch. They’re sufficient to beat this lot.”
c) Sheff Wed 2015 “But then the team stripped off and two tone blue emerged? Blue? FFS we don’t/shouldn’t ever play in blue. The last time we did we played badly and whoever was responsible should be relieved of that part of his/her duties. Especially seeing that Wednesday also play in blue. What on earth was wrong with red or yellow?” Sheff Wed 3 Arsenal 0 plus 2 injuries.
Not only that, but the club crest is changed to blue. FFS!
For the first time in his career, John Moss did not ref an Arsenal win. Despite warnings, for Alexis this was his bridge too far. Kos, who was limping a minute before he really got injured, should have asked for treatment.
That’s 2 points out of the last 9 and it hurts.
We started off well enough and some of the interpassing was brilliant. At this point another win looked on the cards and even after Kos went off, no real worries seemed on the cards. BUT, and it was a big but, young Hector was getting more than a bit stretched by Brady, owner of one of the best left foots in PL who has given us uphill before when at Hull, and Gabriel was looking a bit ring rusty. So come to that was Rambo who started in preference to Joel Cambell. Personally I thought Campbell was a bit unlucky. I would have had him and Rambo instead of Alexis given the warnings and the need for him to have a break. (And that’s not 20:20 hindsight)
Whereupon Oz coasts onto a lovely reverse pass from Alexis who had beaten a defender to a weak clearance, chips Ruddy and we go one up. So much for the old fart’s managerial prowess.
Out of nowhere came a Norwich equalizer though and the first half finished moments later. Bugger.
Unfortunately the second half was a big letdown; although we had the majority of possession, it was very much thanks to Petr that we came away with the one point. His save from an unintentional deflection from Gabe, echoed that from mid-week. Really exceptional reflexes. Add to that, Alexis pulling his hamstring which is one way of forcing him to have a rest, and it was all very disappointing.
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There were periods of yesterday’s game wen we were at our best Ian, just not enough and we did not make enough chances or open up their goal. Bassong and Bennett sat incredibly deep, seemed to me they barely moved beyond their 18 yard line ( other than to shove Sanchez into the pit).
When you say the Norwich equalizer came out of the blue it fell right in the ‘zone’ for Arsenal, coming up to half time when Arsene is cutting up the oranges and Bouldy is boiling the kettle. Now if I know that, and all the players know that, and Arsene knows it …….
http://www.soccerstats.com/timing.asp?league=england
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Thanks for the post match post Andy.
Nowt much to say about Yesterday – Brady played a stormer and gave Bellerin a torrid time. Arsenal’s soft tissue problems persist – whatever the root cause may be.
I’m not as fond of Mr. Moss as others might be – I didn’t like him from the moment in the match he made Kos take the long walk (hobble in reality) around the entire pitch before he’d let Gabby come on, and for crying out loud – not spotting the nasty shove on Alexis that sent his tumbling into the camera pit – remember , we lost Debuchy for nearly a whole season out of another similar bit of casual thuggery, and none of this even gets punished because it’s OK in the media and in general footballing culture to give Arsenal a good kicking.
Arsenal played quite OK in patches of the game, but we didn’t deserve much more than the point based on play. Anyway – giving Norwich a point only helps to keep the pressure on Chelsea at the bottom – see? some Positivity!
Better news is that Wenger says Santi Cazorla and Laurent Koscielney will be fit for the Sunderland game. Theo should be back soon as well.
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“Wenger says Santi Cazorla and Laurent Koscielney will be fit for the Sunderland game”
Where did you get that from, dc?
Just read Alexis and Santi out for Olympiakos.
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Dk – I’d take it all with a bit of a pinch of salt until Wednesday when, supposedly, the players will have scans and a proper assessment of the seriousness of their injuries.
Neither Santi or Alexis has much of a record of injury as far as I know so I would expect, based upon my extraordinary knowledge of orthopaedic medicine, to see them back in harness 3 weeks’ish, which may be in time for Citeh.
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Chambers playing DM for the Arsenal U21’s v Brighton tonight, AFC losing 1-0 at the moment
#AFCU21
Arsenal Under-21 starting XI: Macey, Kamara, Bola, Chambers, Bielik, Pleguezuelo, Sheaf, Iwobi, Malen, Willock, Reine-Adelaide
substitutes: Bennacer, Huddart, Robinson, Eyoma
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http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/patrick-barclay-ryan-bennett-s-push-on-alexis-sanchez-was-cowardly-and-fa-must-take-action-a3126041.html
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Arsenal FC @Arsenal 2m2 minutes ago
HALF TIME: Brighton Under-21s 1-0 @Arsenal Under-21s #AFCU21
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AFC_Andrew @PR_WhoRu 1h1 hour ago
According to Populus at the AST; 34% of match day attending fans at Arsenal are from ethnic minorities compared to the 15% PL average
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Arsenal FC @Arsenal 4m4 minutes ago
Sheaf curls a free-kick into the corner and past the outstretched Maenpaa to equalise 1-1 (48)
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Arsenal FC @Arsenal 2m2 minutes ago
A moment of brilliance from Malen as he races past his marker and chips the Maenpaa to give @Arsenal the lead! 2-1 (60)
by the way, Malen only started the game cos Mavadidi got injured in the warm up
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a bit odd, but it was reported that Mavadidi was selected in the starting 11, but Malen started the game in place of him, due to injury, but now Mavadidi has come on as sub for Malen, and Bennacer has come on for Willock
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ah so the Szczesny rumors were wrong
afcstuff @afcstuff 2h2 hours ago
Roma boss Rudi Garcia on Szczesny: “He hasn’t done anything wrong & he isn’t responsible for anything.”
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latest injury reports suggest that Koscielny will be fit for the Sunderland game, and that Cazorla and Alexis will likely be out for at least 3 weeks. Walcott to return to full training this week.
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Arsenal FC @Arsenal 16s17 seconds ago
FULL TIME: Brighton Under-21s 1-2 @Arsenal Under-21s #AFCU21
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Thanks Number 5.
I’d say the Norwich equaliser didn’t come out of the blue but arose, possibly, because the team were unsettled and confused as only a couple of them could tell Alexis couldn’t run between hauling himself back out of the pit and HT (they were playing with ten but only a few players had realised, Sanchez managed to hobble about a bit after the break but wasn’t right…).
I believe it’s time to put a ‘spotter’ physio in the upper stands as these kind of athletes won’t be hauling themselves off anytime in the next few decades!
–
Never trust a rumour Eddy (IBSF)
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Lewin ” you alright there, were you moving ok to was the end of the half”
Alexis/Wilshere/Vermaelan and all the rest etc. “I’m fine, go away!”
Sturridge: “get me off!” (Just kidding).
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Not surprisingly the “Wenger-is-irresponsible-for-playing-Alexis” meme gets ample oxygen in the usual anti-Arsenal places but imo needs a few defeats to take hold. Two points off the top makes it difficult to sustain a campaign based on superficiality and hypocrisy. A typical Wenger managed squad will soon get it right and, as it was in the past, the haters will be left snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.
Those blogs playing it down the middle have put forward the thesis that the solution to our injury crisis is to cull the squad of injury prone players. Simple innit. We can easily put down Rosicky and Arteta. But they don’t tell us how we are going to get shot of Wilshere, Walcott, Chamberlain and even Ramsey who are frequently in the physio room. Whither the British core Mr blogger?.
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you forget Gibbs (banned winkey thing)
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the funny think in all this uproar about Alexis going to miss a week or two or three, is that most of those crying the loudest are those that said Wenger should have given him a week, or two or three off, anyway, so I fail to see the logic of their whinging.
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I wonder do any of the internet fitness experts know of a method of training that prevents impact injuries to footballers, seeing as more than half our injured players are suffering from impact injuries. It seems blaming Wenger’s training methods is just another good soundbite cop out.
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GATTING – CHAMBERS WAS EXCELLENT FOR US
By Lloyd Webb
Steve Gatting hailed Calum Chambers’ “excellent” performance after Arsenal Under-21s’ 2-1 win at Brighton & Hove Albion on Monday.
Chambers played the full 90 minutes in central midfield, gaining more experience in the role ahead of the first team’s busy Christmas period, and helped Gatting’s side come from a goal behind to claim all three points at The Amex.
It was the England international’s first game for Arsenal’s second string since joining the club from Southampton in 2014, and Gatting was delighted with the 20-year-old’s display.
To go a goal down and to keep going – I thought we were deserved winners
“It was great for the lads to play with him,” the manager told Arsenal Player. “I think it was good for Calum to get 90 minutes under his belt and for such a young lad he has got a lot of experience and tonight I thought he was excellent.
“The boss has seen him play several positions and it is handy for the first team to have a player like Calum. He can perhaps play in central defence, at right back and in midfield and he gives the boss options and that is good for Calum to play in different options.”
“It was good to win but I thought the performance was excellent,” Gatting added. “We normally perform well. I’m pleased with the way we played. I thought tonight we had some good fluid movement, some excellent play and some good chances and they had very few.
“To go a goal down and to keep going – I thought we were deserved winners. I thought we were the better side with the better chances and if we defend well and then the results look after themselves and tonight it did.”
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 source
Read more at http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/20151201/gatting-chambers-was-excellent-for-us?#5OSFG6bqLSfreGUM.99
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going to be fun in January when Arsenal sign 18 year old DM Ruben Neves, the whinging will be a real hoot
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Shotta the levels of disingeniuity on display is incredible.
It’s almost as if Jurgen Klopp didn’t say the other day that Strurridge needed to play through the pain barrier. The same as any coach would regardless of the bleatings of unmployed physios who spend their time on social media.
coaches having to cope with the increasing demands of grubby admin bots and broadcasters as has happned in cricket is another matter entirely.
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Simple fact of the matter is Alexis would’ve needed a break for a few weeks at some point. It had to happen. Injury or not.
Three weeks and not being rushed back could be a bonus for him no matter how much we i mean I’ll miss him *sobs*
Chambo looked great. Chambo and Campo and a returning Walcott should see them through the Xmas Crunch?
Welbeck loss is and has been the biggie.
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To save anyone wondering in the small hours we have recently passed the million views mark on the website, and are approaching 400,000 visitors to PA since it burst upon the UK blogging scene in January 2013. 585 Positive posts have been presented to a highly sophisticated and knowledgeable Arsenal audience (that is you).
So while it may be a little quiet at the moment I think we can take considerable satisfaction in that, and barely a falling out nor a smiley in all that time.
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Well,I’ve rung all my contacts in the Northern S&M community and there’s still no sign of my old mucker George,I’m getting bloody worried now..
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Does Steww do a radio show tonight? If so can he or anyone please link it, sure would like to have a listen.
Many thanks.
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He’s on at 8 Mills
http://www.somervalleyfm.co.uk/
( My fee note will be sent under a separate cover Stew)
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Many thanks A5, hope he plays “Lucky 7” by the Skatalites…hope everyones doing well at PA. Thanks again.
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Forgive me for not visiting. I felt it necessary to spleen-vent over at UA.
Thanks for this article, but also for the various comments. Such tranquility. Beautiful info inc. % of “minorities” at Arsenal v the rest, updates on this arvo’s U21, the link to Standard article calling for retro action for Norwich thug, etc, etc.
I’m truly grateful.
PG, seriously, I’m wishing you well.
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get on @stewblack at Twitter Mills and send in your suggestions – he likes to keep the mob at bay
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Evening Ranty – most unsatisfactory lack of action on Bennett although the whole idea of these bloody unprotected brick and concrete ‘pits’ next to the pitch is ridiculous. A player going at full tilt and even with no push could break their neck or fracture their skull. Not good enough.
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Im just having a look at the website at the radio station, Im the last human being whose not on twitter by I see I can send them an email. Does he mention PA often?
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He usually has a bit of banter via Twitter with Kelly and others during the show
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I dropped him a line by email via the show. Do you guys listen in often?
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a5, Thank you.
I remain dismayed by the highlights on motd2, where they spent good time making sure the blame for Alexis injury comes solely from Arsene playing him. Sure, to be dismayed is naive on my part. They’ve got this thing where they show twatts whilst they’re speaking. One was from the Norwich thug (coward, as said by Patrick Barclay), saying he was trying to stop himself. Arrrggghh!
I advise anyone in my company – even pretending to listen, to: Match your expectations to your experience. So in this case any injury, draw or loss is due to Venga. Simples. I’ll not go into details as I did elsewhere, cos I know that you know, here.
I rarely keep track of Steww’s excellent radio show, but I do catch up on it from time to time. I always end up thinking: How does he know that tune? And I’m amused at the rare reference to footy – clouded in such a way that if you weren’t in the know, you’d perhaps think there was no reference at all. But always a great listen with a fantastic play list. (And I swear Stewws show was on Tuedays?)
I can’t do twatter either. That’s 2 of us.
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and my gal too Rants, that 3!
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some reports that Alexis is out for 3-6 weeks. Koscielny said to be fit for Sunderland game, also that Theo may be in the squad. Cazorla a major doubt. so we may have the following squad for the game.
Cech
Bellerin Gabriel Koscielny Monreal
Chambers Ramsey
Oxlade-chamberlain Ozil Campbell
Giroud
subs Ospina, Debuchy, Mertesacker, Gibbs, Flamini, Reine-adelaide, Walcott
that is one strong squad when you consider it would be one with 8 players out injured
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Hayden and Akpom start for Hull in the COC qf away to man city. City leading 1-0
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Ben Dinnery @BenDinnery 8h8 hours ago
Days lost. Injuries occurred since the opening day 2015/16
#NUFC 685
#LFC 656
#AFCB 597
#MCFC 546
#SAFC 524
#THFC 520
#MUFC 433
#AFC 312
Arsenal’s stats are so low cos it does not include Welbeck, Rosicky and Wilshere who were all injured pre first game of season.
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Robert Madely to ref Arsenal v sunderland
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I see that rumoured Arsenal target, Lars Bender, is out for the rest of the year with an ankle injury.
Go get him, Arsene! He’s our man!
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I’m keeping an eye on this place if anyoine is listening to the show and doesn’t use twitter
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Hi Stew certainly am listening in, great show so far!!! I sent in an email, at the Outlook add. wondered if you can squeeze in tonight or another time “Bulldog” by King Coleman? Its on Norton recs.Or what about Ali baba by John Holt?
cheers!
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cheers Steww for the shout!! Lucky horses!!
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