Dzǎo-anh Positivistas,
Sky and BT often blather on about the “superior quality/best in the world etc” of the Premier League with no apparent justification but in terms of entertainment that was a great contest last night. Congratulations to both teams and both managers for putting on a spectacle that gripped from the first whistle to the final seconds. Action packed, end-to-end. You name the cliché, this game had it. Technically the football was probably no better than 7/10 but whatever the game lacked in precision it made up for in sweat and a mutual desperation to finish ahead. Even the foul weather added to the drama !
Of the players in old gold picking out names from such an intense match is difficult, but I shall try. There may still be one or two out their purporting a knowledge of football who have their doubts about Joel Campbell but last night he stamped his excellence on the game with two beautifully weighted and directed passes for the opening and third goals. When Joel was not the creator he was tirelessly working, tracking, running, tackling and putting himself about. I get the impression he is a lot “tougher” than two months ago, much, much harder to knock off the ball, much quicker back on his feet. His combination with young Hector has flowered in recent weeks, and last night they presented with an unstoppable combination on our right flank.
The second name out of the hat must be Olivier Giroud. To lead the line against two large centre backs away from home is no easy task. The Frenchman had to content himself with scraps in the opening, but from those meagre pickings he made a tasty meal for first Aaron, then provided the deftest of flicks to leave the Liverpool keeper embarrassed as we pulled back level for the second time. Olivier’s goal in the 53rd minute was the pick of the night, and could be one of the best he ever scores in his career. Perfectly engineered movement to turn, to strike the ball and to place the shot into the far corner. Magnifique young man.
Of the home side I thought they were a credit to their club which are words that I could not have uttered on the evidence of their feeble Premier League form and watched them crumple at Vicarage Road a few weeks back. Firmino finally provided a clue as to why he cost almost £30 million in the Summer and while Henderson is the Nissan Micra equivalent to Mesut’s Mercedes Benz the Englishmen ploughed up and down all night to some effect.
What is perhaps baffling is Klopp’s reliance on Simon Mignolet who I thought should have done much better with two of our goals. And his cack-handedness is hardly a one off is it? The Belgian has made error after error in games for the Merseyside club ever since his arrival. In a world where league tables based upon snatches of data dominate could anyone direct me to the one which lists goalkeepers graded on points costing errors ? Mignolet would surely have dominated that unwanted competition season after season. By way of cross reference to the Liverpool keeping puzzle I checked Pepe Reina’s age. He is younger than Petr Cech. Nice one Brendan.
Overall a fair result, a point apiece on a night when had either side lost it would have been a cruel ending for such endeavour.
A test for our title credentials last night which we passed, another to come.
Onwards to the Potteries on Sunday and I am sure we are expecting another rollicking ( I think that is the word I am looking for ?) contest at the hands and probably the gloves of Sparky’s men.
Enjoy your Thursday.
Positively Arsenal 
Afobe opens his PL account for Bournemouth.
I’ll take that as a good omen.
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And Hayden scores as Hull inflict a heavy defeat upon Charlton.
Another good omen!
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in all my years of supporting Arsenal I have never seen them score an offside goal 8 minutes into 7 minutes of stoppage time. Lets hope the PGMOL have got this out of their system and we don’t see Chelsea get todays sort of favor when they come to the Emirates next weekend.
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match officials need to be dumped for missing this offside
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Wenger’s views on the rise of fans abuse at club/players via twitter
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/arsenal/12103299/Arsene-Wenger-says-the-rise-of-social-media-is-a-growing-problem-for-football.html?x
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Citeh hammering Palace has lain down a nice clear marker for what is required of us tomorrow. Let’s see if Leicester can stay in the front pack ?
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Arsenal are reported to be close to agreeing deals for Leicester City’s Head of Technical Scouting Ben Wrigglesworth and Assistant Manager, and Head of Recruitment Steve Walsh, it is said to be another step in the upgrading of the clubs scouting and recruitment department, at both senior and academy level. Liam Brady has already returned to the Academy, with him now working on setting up loan deals for our youth players, and on signing quality youths from all across the world, AFC are determined to compete with the likes of city and cfc for the best young prospects. Something Brady was very keen on when head of the Academy, but due to the financial constraints on the club at the time, AFC just could not go head to head with the likes of CFC and City. At that time we even lost some of our best Academy staff to CFC and other clubs.
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So Hiddink says they asked the fourth official to add an extra minute because Everton celebrated for a minute at 3-2 and the ref obliged, very nice of him indeed, laughable.
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this Leicester city bubble shows no sign of bursting, they lead villa 1-0, and are heading for top of the table, AFC now down to 3rd.
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with Rosicky, Ospina and Alexis now back fit, Arsenal have less than five players on the injured list for the first time since September – Welbeck, Wilshere, Coquelin and Cazorla, and all but Cazorla are back in light training.
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David Burns @bbcburnsy 1h1 hour ago Hull, England
Steve Bruce tells us on @RadioHumberside he’d like to sign Isaac Hayden on a permanent basis from Arsenal. #hcafc
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Looks like Gervinho is off to Jiangsu Suning for €10m (£7.7m). the Chinese money keeps rolling in to Serie A, if this deal goes through, Jiangsu suning will have spent €38m (£29.1m) on Serie A players, Luiz Adriano, Gervinho and Guarín, this week.
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No wonder PSG are 23 pts ahead after 21 games when you consider their budget is more than that of 14 of their rival clubs combined
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well thank God for small mercies, Aston Villa 1-1 Leicester City
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OptaJoe @OptaJoe 11m11 minutes ago
33 – Leicester City will now be top of the PL for 33 days in 2015-16, the same number that Spurs have been top in total since 1992. Serious.
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Ed, a few years ago there was a split in the youth set up with divisions on the way forward chelski exploited this and offered them big money. I think they might have gone anyway but obviously not to chelski.
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I’m bored tonight… Waiting for STEWWS preview.
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David Moyes in MOTD
“in Spain the referees just give the decisions.”
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Stoke’s going to be tough.
Arsenal might need to start working on cutting down City’s superior goal difference after tomorrow’s game.
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FA Youth cup highlights from Swansea TV
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