I was looking at the photographs of yesterday’s training session on Arsenal.com and it got me to thinking. Shouldn’t the club photographer get a winter break? Is it really fair to expect him to work on Christmas Day, away from his friends and family, missing out on Eastenders and the Queen’s speech? Isn’t there a danger he’ll suffer burn out from too many photocalls in the middle of winter when his fingers are at their coldest and his equipment is vulnerable from the rain and the wind? The ill judged composition of the shot of Calum Chambers with another player’s head seeming to grow from his left shoulder and a poorly placed horizon line breaking the rule of thirds is surely a sign of a photographer taking pictures in the red zone.
From these obvious and serious concerns it was but a small step to realise that bloggers too deserve a break over the festive season. I type with two fingers. That’s perhaps why so often I seem to be saying a massive fuck you to the football establishment, media and referees not to mention many of our fans. Those two fingers are getting worn down and I fear that three matches in a few days is asking far too much of my sadly over exercised digits. How can we expect to attract and keep the best writers in the world if we don’t give them a break when the days are short and the house full of discarded wrapping paper? It makes you think.
The other group of people trying to rouse themselves from their festive torpor today are the players. Arsenal travel to the south coast to face a side they’ve not beaten there since December 29th 2003. Last season we went there on new year’s day and suffered a two nil defeat at the hands of a Southampton side who were in fine fettle and good for their win. This time around Ronald Koeman’s men have not had such a great time of it and it is my fervent Christmas wish that their indifferent form continues for at least one more match.
Today will, I believe, be a test of resilience. A sorely depleted squad desperately in need of big performances from a supporting cast and with just a whiff of a hangover from their stoicism against a resurgent second half Man City will be up against it today. The last thing I’d want to see is another long backs to the wall defence of a slender lead.
If it should come to that of course we can be sure the players will be up for it. The one thing we know for certain about Arsène Wenger’s teams through the ages is that they have guts. Rightly famed for their silky skills and fluid passing his sides have always shown equal measures of fight and determination. Just because the clichéd script of the hacks in the television studios and the chip wrappers refuse to recognise this doesn’t mean it isn’t true. If they can summon the energy for a couple more performances of courage and endurance then we will end the year on a real high and the ludicrous fixture schedule which has blighted the holiday season will suddenly not seem such a stupid idea.
I know it’s traditional and I know that some people look forward to it as the best part of Christmas but I look at the number of games our first eleven is navigating without much respite and I fear for the health and well being of a squad which simply cannot afford any more injuries. On the flip side of that coin Calum and Kieran are getting a bit of game time these days and should be able to slot in more comfortably if called upon so to do. Also, we can expect some of the wounded to return soon, if not soon enough to make a difference to our end of year schedule.
Santi is effectively gone from the equation and the length of time out for Danny and Jack will surely see them eased in very gently when they are fit. I’m picturing a similar scenario to that we witnessed with Theo’s return last season. Maybe one or both will be able to make an impact in one or other of the cup finals but we can’t expect them to play a major role in winning the league.
Still, like that new mountain bike you didn’t get for Christmas there is no point in griping about the things which cannot be changed. Some might suggest the boss and Ivan can alter things in the upcoming transfer window but new faces take time to bed in and it is fanciful or at the very best blindly optimistic to expect anyone bought in to make an immediate impact.
So it’s a case of fingers crossed. Or if you lack the belief in such precautions against the ravages of cruel fate, que sera, sera. Maybe the Saints will be suffering from a surfeit of Christmas pud and come stumbling from the blocks without the panache they showed around this time last year. Maybe Mathieu’s hamstrings can twang on happily for a few weeks yet and Per’s long legs continue to be planted in the right place at the right time without suffering any nasty knocks.
I said during the pre season on these very pages just let Mesut and Aaron remain fit for the duration and we’ll be all right. Well I haven’t been granted that wish with our Welsh wonder already spending time in the MASH tent so I’m going to amend it and ask that they remain in harness for the rest of the campaign.
As Francis and Joel have shown us last season and this help can come from unexpected quarters when most needed. I firmly believe there is enough ability and mental strength left in our squad to keep up with Leicester City’s fabulous start to the season. Whether we will have enough in the tank to overhaul them at the end remains to be seen but if we can just stagger through against the two south coast teams then the Foxes will feel our hot steamy breath on the backs of their necks. This is the hardest pressure of all when there is no one in front of you to aim at and the baying hounds are at your heels. Will they be able to withstand it? If not we need to be in a position to pounce.
Whether I’ll be able to think of anything to write on Monday and how the club photographer will find time to develop his film are other matters all together. At the moment my left index finger is showing signs of a small blister, but I’ll tell you this – if birthday boy Aaron Ramsey can keep running the length of the pitch to the very last whistle then it would be churlish of me to complain so I’ll keep applying the Germolene and just pray that Andy Nic has enough ribbon in his Remington to write another glowing review of another famous victory come Sunday morning.
Positively Arsenal 
Morning Steww, everyone.
As I plodded through the treacle of Xmas day the thought of reading a well thought out and perfectly constructed, packaged and delivered pre-match piece by Steww appeared on my event horizon like a beacon of footballing hope, lit to guide us back to the relative straight and narrow of PL competition.
Inevitably, I was not disappointed, merely elevated by the post and I’m already happily pondering the run in to New Year and beyond – a big thanks to Steww for again digging deep and consuming the hard yards like the writing equivalent of a marathon runner ghosting through on empty. Bravo, sir. (And the same to Andy Nic who as we read and write today will already be limbering up for tomorrow’s big push).
My only tuppence worth on the issue of the appalling Xmas/New Year fixture list is the realisation that, very likely, it is precisely because of the spike in playing endeavour that comes with the Festive Season that (almost) inevitably finishes off – or starts the process of finishing off – the spectacular runs of the recently promoted teams who are elevated to artificially high league positions on a wave of post-promotion adrenalin.
If clubs with the awesome depth and strength of Arsenal’s are struggling in late December, it’s hard to imagine the damage being done to the new boys who’s wonderful progress is largely reliant on a smaller pool of ‘key’ players than the more established sides.
Of course, we can not assume this falling away will always happen and the ‘miracle’ of Chelsea’s triumph last year was very much based on Jose being able to pick pretty much the same 11 week in, week out. That the strains within that club found expression almost as soon as the season was done does, to some extent, tell its own story. It was a massive achievement by Chelsea and if Leicester continue in their current form, will be a similarly staggering achievement. And, for all that, exceedingly unlikely, and I strongly suspect that overall, our main rivals for the league remain Citeh. We will see soon enough.
Enjoy the game today everyone and fingers crossed for a victory by any margin.
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Nice write-up Steww, and hope you had a good Christmas. COYG!
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Stew and Andrew N5 hv shown great “stoicism” as they gave us their great treats either side of match day fixtures through out this year. Stiff index fingers and all. Signing the year off with large smirks on your faces will be an absolute delight. If not, aagh there’s always next year and we find battle our way till May.
Brilliant read Stew. We are who we are. The greatest team the world has ever seen.
29th December ’03 was a long time ago and with help coming from all quarters this last years, I guess asking Santa for some intervention breaking that hoodoo won’t be a stretch. Maybe throw in our rivals slipping and sliding for ol’ times sake.
COYG!!!
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Thank you Steww,
Merry Xmas PA
Like JJ Abrahms you still appreciate the value of film. It seems that rumours of Analogue’s swift demise have been slightly exaggerated.
I’m going to be forced to watch a Utd game with the brother in law. Lord help us.
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Amazing Steww. How do you do it? A splendid piece of writing after all that Christmas pudding and egg-nog. May the force be with you and Andrew between now and Monday-Tuesday.
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Top stuff Steww.
We do appreciate your written efforts, we really do.
PS – how did those lemon scented sprouts turn out ?- sounded delicious.
If Arsenal ever had a fully fit squad – we’d walk the league in any year. I guarantee you that.
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Hi Stew and you razor has not been dulled by Santa’s call I see.
Openers at the Britannia and a pack of wild media hounds waiting for the huntsman’s word before tearing apart their Dutch quarry.
Tally-Ho !
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Great stuff again, steww. Sorry to hear Santa didn’t bring you a new mountain bike – he probably noticed you fell off the last one.
But the scoreline at the Britannia should go someway towards cheering you up – nearly half-time and 2-0 to Stoke. Someone asked the MbM’er when the last manager was sacked during a match. The answer of course is Martin Jol – only Spuds are that classy.
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MbM’er in the Grauniad, that is.
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fins – hope the b-i-l is a Utd fan.
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Unlike our depleted squad in the past, I have never found Steww’s words wearing thin and without adding pressure I don’t expect them to.
Each game at the moment will be something of endurance rather than things of beauty. A matter of just getting through picking up 3points after 3 points.
The reinforcements are not in site at the moment however their are a few surprise star performers that might just pick up the flag and rush it forward.
The squad itself, whoever is there seem solid and together this maybe one of our biggest growing strength.
Continued happy holidays everyone COYG.
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DC – the sprouts were superb! A triumph.
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flippin heck Tucker! Joke Shitty 2-0 up!
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Good stuff as ever Stew.
Just flicked TV on to see half time Stoke 2-0 Manu. Let’s hope the day continues thusly…
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Hope you continue to enjoy your break from the grind Steve.
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Follow
smaldini•
@Shehroze_MUFC
Fergie fucked off in a bad time to save his reputation. Wenger almost destroyed his for Arsenal.
Don’t forget that.
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to think that the great Morgan Schneiderlin can’t get in the utd team.
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Utd lose 2-0. But what can you expect when you send a team out dressed in shorts that make them look like a bunch of girls in French knickers.
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Swiss Ramble @SwissRamble 10m10 minutes ago
The only part of Rooney’s game that hasn’t deteriorated is his ability to bellow profanities in the ref’s face without getting a yellow card
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Aaron Ramsey’s is 25 today. He still has the best years of his career ahead of him, we are really in for a treat.
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man utd today lost for the 4th game in a row, the first time this has happened in 54 years
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Max Mufc @maxmufc7 2h2 hours ago
Wenger – The experienced one
Klopp – The normal one
Morinho – The sacked one
Louis Van Gaal – The next one
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but are fans serious?
so sack LVG and bring in Jose who has just been sacked?
We cant thanks the arsenal board enough for their respect and patience!
really>
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man city winning 3-0
spurs and swansea both 1 up
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chelsea winning and going 8pts behind utd
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38 minutes in and Sheffield Wednesday score the first goal of the day in the Championship,
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Alastair Campbell @campbellclaret 55m55 minutes ago
Arsene Wenger has never lost three games in a row, in his entire managerial career. Quite a record.
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spurs 2 up and Watford have drawn level at CFC
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Sam Wallace @SamWallaceTel 5m5 minutes ago
Mikel on for Fabregas at half-time #cfc …
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Watford have taken the lead v CFC
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Lovely stuff Stew,must admit I’ve got a dodgy feeling about tonight,no reason-it might be the horrific amount of food I’ve eaten,anyhow,I’ll be watching on ceefax later with everything crossed.
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Shit. Not a bad feeling from Mel. Let’s hope it was an ill advised pakora at 3am
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#RanieriOut
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Any team with Marcus Albrighton in it had to get found out sooner or later.
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So anyway, as I was saying – Vardy off (injured?), and Leicester’s splendid run stumbles and trips and the Xmas decorations haven’t even started to come down …
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AA: Leicester has City next. Haven’t made 40 points yet. Could be twitchy bum time.
Mel: I hope you had to much curry last night. I live and die by your predictions and I don’t want to die any time soon.
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Stew well written and enjoyable read as per usual. I did laugh about those that need a winter break… Only fans who do the watching are likely not to want one, but then again those that go to the stadium, may need a break. LOL
Looking forward to the game…
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Vardy’s been playing through a niggle or knock for a few weeks, always tricky to play through the Krunch with an injury. Welbeck did so last year, unrelated to his later knock/hack and injury, and it looked like hard work!
Even with all these injuries the gaffer still has the option over the next few days to rotate full backs and centre backs which is pretty smart if required.
Not sure if Mane will be playing LW or CF but it’ll be interesting to see how Bellerin gets on opposite the speedster fourteen months after his debut last season in the LC. A televised game, at home, Xmas, I think Southampton will play with more “cohesion” IBSF then they have done of late.
Good luck to the Gunners. Fingers crossed! Touch wood. Etc.
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https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CXLDuOwWYAI3czK.jpg:large
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Arsenal unchanged tonight.
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I love how after KDB got a goal and two assists today that twitter world is comparing him to Ozil, and saying his 10 goals and 10 assists compared to Ozil’s 2 goals and 15 assists prove KDB is the better player, failing to mention that the comparison is KDB’s stats for all competitions v Ozil’s for BPL only.
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@ Eduardo, don’t tell me you thought the media were not going through pain when they had to praise OZIL an arsenal player as the best?
of course the first chance they could get by foul or fair means they were going to elevate another to take his place!
I see for example, the guardian puts KOS as their 100th best player in 2015, that should tell you something!
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Arsenal v current top ten- P9 W6 D2 L1(WHU on opening day of the season)
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Great to see Jeff and Iwobi on the bench – progress.
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Who’ll be here during the game?
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COYG!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Ha ha – love your in match posts Mills.
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I bet you say that to all the girls Steww!
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Listening on Radio 5 live down on the South Coast having had a day full of ferrying an aged p.
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…pretty windy tonight, tough for free kicks and long shots for keepers.
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