Good Evening Positivistas,
Final whistle at the Britannia just blown as I begin to write. Overall I am pleased with not just the point but with the performance. Stoke may have changed their spots under Mr Hughes but there is still that very physical core to their game that, on other cold, Sundays afternoons over the past few seasons, we have not dealt with. A tense final eight minutes I thought when a little careless passing put our goal under threat. After Wednesday I am sure we were all on edge for those final ssssssllllllloooowwww few minutes …….but despite the sensation of time slowing, or even reversing at one point, the end finally came.
Did I mention no one who has won the PL has ever lost at the Britannia in the same season ?
I thought I had.
Who shone and what we did well in the old gold? I thought Nacho was superb today, and the contest between the Spaniard and Walters was between two intelligent, very fit professionals. Any error or weakness would have been pounced on but Nacho concentrated for 93 minutes and I doubt Walters has had as frustrating ninety minutes in front of the baying, toothless mob of home fans in a long time.
The Ox I also think produced the level of performance that has been trying to burst out for a few weeks. He was out creative spring in the middle of the park, loads of energy, winning the ball, turning, twisting, trying to pick out that special ball. Good to watch and it will have given his confidence a boost for sure.
What we did well I thought was control and retain the ball for long periods across midfield. For much of the second half Stoke were pinned back, if the ball was cleared it was quickly recovered and returned. Where we let ourselves down, and perhaps where we missed out German playmaker on the afternoon, was using all that possession in the final third of the pitch, in front of the home side’s goal. We opened Stoke up just once, with Giroud’s shot excellently saved by Butland in the first half. Too often I felt the Stoke defenders had a few seconds to regroup and our threat battered itself against the rocks. It is a defect that will soon be erased with players returning.
Much as it pains me to admit it Shawcross, Peters, Wolfschied etc, and behind them Jack Butland, are a formidable defence. Composed under pressure, even in the second half phase when they were unable to get out of their half. Probably not much to do with the Hughes and the ghost of Pulis rattles his chains loudly.
Less satisfactory this afternoon ? Having clearly made a mug of Wolfschied in the first minute, and attracted referee Pawson’s attention to the defender’s clumsy foul, (and having the elderly and overweight Glenn Johnson in front of him) I settled down to watch Theo make his mark. Wrong Andrew. A couple of useful interventions by Theo later but, on an afternoon which cried out for speed against the Stoke back four, the contribution was not there. ‘In’ occasionally, ‘out’ quite a lot. He was apparently surprised when being substituted. I will be surprised if the boy starts next week, although Chelsea do suffer from theophobia.
Did not see any injuries to our players today. Compared to previous bloodbaths in Staffordshire the violence was tea-party level today.
Two draws and points to match. Not the six, or even the four points, I suspect we all hoped for before the kick off on Wednesday. Nevertheless back to the top of the pile again. A good week off to rest and recuperate.
Enjoy what is left of your Sunday.
Positively Arsenal 
It was PA what won it, Mel!!
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Why any supporter who spends time online doesn’t watch Adrian Clarke’s Breakdown is beyond me.
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I agree with Adrian
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Adrian agrees with me.
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Watched the last half hour of Swansea-Watford. Pretty dire stuff. But one incident where Ighalo is clearly wrestled to the ground by Williams inside the box baffles me. I would like referees (this time Michael Oliver) to be told to explain why they think it’s OK to do that. It happens to Giroud all the time. A few minutes later, Fernandez gives Deeney a fairly innocuous bump from behind, Deeney goes sprawling and Oliver gives the free kick, but this time it was outside the box. Since when were the rules different according to which side of the penalty box line the offence occurs?
Two points here: 1. we are not the only team being denied clear penalties. 2. referees don’t have to answer to anyone publicly; it’s all behind closed doors – a punishment seems to be that they have a Championship game one week, then it’s business as usual. No wonder the standard is generally so poor.
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I disagree with everyone today – it’s one of those days.
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On the other hand, I’ve just responded to the pleas to watch Adrian Clarke, so I’m no longer beyond fh. Job done.
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an interesting interview with Wenger about the development of strikers and how their role/style has changed.
http://www.arsenal.com/news/features/20160115/arsene-wenger
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British media caught out repeating Man Utd’s bullshit about Anthony Martial’s genuine sale price.
It turns out Monaco were the ones telling the truth.
http://www.joe.co.uk/sport/leaked-the-huge-add-on-fees-anthony-martial-could-cost-man-united-revealed-in-official-transfer-papers/37987?utm_content=buffer7659b&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer
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dkgÖÖnér @ 10:06 pm – On that wrestling by Williams of Ighalo to the ground, @WengerBoy1 made the following tweet during the match:
“Oliver 10 yards away looking directly at Williams with his arms actually fully locked – hands clasped – around Ighalo in the box. No pen.”
I gave a flippant response that I wasn’t expecting a pen. However on reflection I feel guilty for falling in line with the herd and not expecting referees to not punish such blatantly foul play. We all generally have a high opinion of Oliver (as well as Clattenberg) but it is depressing that none of us expect the best referees in England to make this call. Yet if Messi is thrown to the ground in similar fashion no referee in Europe has any hesitation in pointing to the spot. Something is truly rotten in the heart of refereeing in Blighty and it is not Bendtner.
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Shotta: Sky and BT are major contributors to the Premier League money pot. They both carry major adds for bookmakers during their programmes. Bookmakers don’t like level playing fields.
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shotta – thanks for that retweet. Good to know I’m not alone in my flabbergastedness (if that’s a word). We shouldn’t just expect it of the BEST referees, we should expect it of ALL of them. And when something is as obvious at that last night and the referee has a clear view, I think some sort of public accountability is called for. Just explain why it isn’t an offence to wrestle a player to the ground.
Yeah, I know – I’m pissing into the wind again.
Just hope we don’t get the spineless bastard on Sunday, although we’ll probably get some other spineless bastard.
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You are a better man than I am Dk. I watched five minutes of the Swansea game but decided I did not have the stomach for it.
Interesting what you say about the referee although one man’s clear and blatant penalty is another man’s unintentional coming together or dive.
I had a quick read of the match reports but no mention of Michael Oliver or any ‘penalty’. Not a peep out of the Swans’ either or even Watford. Contrast that with Alan Curtis’ reaction to their defeat by Sunlun at the weekend.
“ALAN Curtis ripped into the referee after a 4-2 defeat to Sunderland – and admitted the painful loss could speed up Swansea City’s bid to sign a striker.
Swansea were left pointing fingers at rookie Premier League referee Graham Scott and his assistants after three major decisions went against them in a gloomy home reverse.”
(from the South Wales Post)
Mr Curtis was strangely silent last night about refereeing. One man’s meat, another man’s poison.
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Heady: As is apparent with the scandals in football and other sports the Establishment and their media have little interest in spotlighting the underlying corruption as the status quo just keeps the money rolling in. Like any good racket, business is best when all the parties keep quiet and let the racketeers do their business. We all may have misgivings about Track and Field, Cricket and now Lawn Tennis but the big events still demand our attention justifying the huge sponsorship and TV money. That is why I find the FIFA scandals so hypocritical. As in politics, one mafia don, who by the way made sure some of the loot went down to the peasants will be replaced by another capo. Mark my words. The same rules apply to refereeing. So long as it remains a system without transparency and accountability to the public, referees who make it will learn from very early it is a career-ending move to make certain big calls especially against the big teams, even Arsenal. Hence the likes of Oliver and Clattenberg will ignore the wrestling in the box because as the commentators and pundits opine it is difficult to give a penalty there. Until there is some reform in the system with some element of technology (the Goal Decision System hasn’t ruined the game has it) the corruption will continue in plain sight.
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Monreal has signed a new long term contract
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/20160118/monreal-signs-new-long-term-contract
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Brilliant news Eddy.
Another star player moulded by Wenger’s methods, and to think the impatient mob wanted him ran back to Bilbao in his first season.
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I genuinely think this is a problem with many of the WOB’s
http://www.newsnow.co.uk/h/Lifestyle/Drugs+&+Alcohol/Cocaine?search=Brain%20eat&utm_campaign=natnn&utm_source=newsnow&utm_medium=web&utm_content=6819
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Very pleasing news on Nacho and a long term deal signed a month before his 30th birthday – shrewd timing by both the player and the club
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Great news about Nacho
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It would seem to me, that the Arsenal have moved on from Bacary Sagna?
A long term contract ? How long is a length of string?
Good for the player. More so for the club, as Cazorla,, Kos and BFG, will have taken note of the change in contract extensions!
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more proof for those who still need it that the club have been operating under financial restraint and the purse has only started recently growing.
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NELSON, SMITH-ROWE, WISE + THE 17 OTHER YOUNGSTERS STRIVING FOR SCHOLARSHIPS AT ARSENAL
Within the next couple of weeks, the Arsenal academy coaching staff will make some considerably difficult decisions regarding which youngsters should be offered scholarship deals for next season.
This year the task is perhaps harder than ever, with no fewer than 20 prospects hoping to be offered a chance to become a full-time Arsenal player.
First of all it is worth considering which positions in the U18 squad will need filling next season.
The current players will still be eligible for the U18s next campaign:
Osei-Tutu, T. Bola, McGuane, DaSilva, Dragomir, Fortune, Gilmour, Nketiah, Pileas, Tella, Malen, J. Willock.
Of that group, Donyell Malen is already an established U21 player so won’t feature much in the U18 league, while the likes of Marcus McGuane, Josh DaSilva and Yassin Fortune should also step up to the second-string.
That would leave eight players as U18 regulars, at least initially, so it seems clear that next season’s intake will be a sizeable one.
With regards to the players in contention for deals next season, there are some youngsters who are pretty much guaranteed an extended stay.
That is certainly the case for Reiss Nelson, with the winger having been a mainstay for the U18s this season while he has also featured for the U21s, played a prominent part in the UEFA Youth League and trained with the first-team.
Portuguese youth international goalkeeper Joao Virginia, who has been training at London Colney this season, will also be taken on, whilst winger Emile Smith-Rowe, who has reportedly been monitored by Barcelona, is also set to be offered terms.
Then comes the complicated part as the club have to decide which of the remaining Hale End products to take on.
There are two goalkeepers in the mix, with George Phillips and Jordan Perrin both having been on the cusp of the U18 squad this season. With Virginia being signed, it seems likely that one of the homegrown players will be offered a deal, with the other being released.
This season has been notable for the fact that there haven’t been as many schoolboys as usual featuring in the U18s.
A few have gained fleeting experience of that level of football, however. Midfielders Josh Benson and Robbie Burton (a Welsh youth international) are highly regarded, whilst centre-back Toby Omole made a couple of appearances for the U18s last season, as did right-back Rob Howard.
Earlier this campaign Nathan Tormey, a flying winger, featured as a substitute for the U18s against West Ham United, and he too is in contention for a scholarship contract.
Striker Jay Beckford joined Arsenal from Leyton Orient last year, but it remains to be seen whether he will be taken on.
Henry Wise, the son of former Chelsea player Dennis, is hopeful of earning a deal, with the midfielder having featured for the club at schoolboy level since joining from Queens Park Rangers.
Screen shot 2016-01-19 at 20.20.52
Joseph Olowu
Joseph Olowu, a centre-back who has risen through the ranks at the Hale End academy, has been a regular for the U16s this campaign, as has attacker Jaidon Anthony, who featured in an U17 game at London Colney last season.
Defenders Jordan Williams and Dominic Thompson are also in contention, along with Mohammed Diallo, Javaan Campbell, Danny Ballard and Max Sheaf, with the latter being the brother of U21 regular Ben Sheaf.
The coaching staff are expected to make their decisions on all of the above players by the end of January.
It is worth remembering, however, that until the players who have been offered terms officially put pen to paper on their contracts on July 1st, they are free to move elsewhere.
In addition, players who have been offered a scholarship deal can reject the contract, while the club themselves can still offer deals at a later date to players who have been overlooked.
Furthermore, as is often the case, there will probably be further additions to the scholarship intake from elsewhere, with at least one player usually signed from a foreign club.
Posted in Uncategorized on January 19, 2016 by Jeorge Bird. Leave a comment
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Maitland-Niles with a fine goal for Ipswich
https://t.co/7uUApR9wWw
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rumor doing the rounds that Daniel Sturridge is set to retire due to injury, that there has been no progress with his rehabilitation which is forcing the end of his playing days.
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last season’s FA Cup giant killers Bradford, have been knocked out on penalties by Bury.
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Mark Clattenburg has been appointed the referee for Sunday’s clash against Chelsea.
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Since before the City game a few will have wondering on why we’ve seen Walcott left and Campbell right:
We followed Campbell’s progress whilst on loan here. Mostly because unlike many loanees he was playing CL football etc. and he’d impressed. At the WC too.
As far as I can remember for both his clubs and country he’d usually play right when on the flanks and sometimes RM? Might have played on the left sometimes but most often from the right. Therefore Walcott as the older more experienced player is on the left and Campbell is allowed to settle into the PL from a more familiar role? I think that’d be one consideration. Another would be Walcott’s good play when switching with Alexis from CF since the end of last season.
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I am no pundit. I am not obsessed with football. I do not claim great tactical knowledge. I do not claim very much about football.
Articles like this piss me off big time.
Pep Guardiola may well be a great manager but he has not managed a club under the same circumstances as Arséne. No manager has. This wank fest around Pep is pathetic.
http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/tony-evans-time-for-wenger-to-call-guardiola-it-would-take-his-arsenal-legacy-to-another-level-a3158861.html
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This, on the hand, is more to my liking….
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/arsenal/12108238/Arsenal-manager-Arsene-Wenger-is-still-his-own-man-and-for-that-we-should-be-thankful.html
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Just purchased by ticket for Burnley on Saturday the 30th for the princely sum of £30.15 inclusive of the credit card fee, a bargain I think although no doubt the perpetually offended footballing supporters’ lobby will perceive some outrage in the transaction.
Plenty on offer for anyone who wants to see Elneny start a game.
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There are still a handful of tickets available for the FA Cup 4th Round on Arsenal,com for red members.
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Hi Andy
I’ve got one in the North Bank.
you?
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Eddy
Clattenberg can be erratic, and can make silly mistakes – but there is no obvious pattern of bias.
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East Stand lower tier, block 17 – meet up for refreshment pre match ?
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“but there is no obvious pattern of bias”
Although Jon Obi-Mikel might claim otherwise
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I too have snatched myself a ticket for the Burnley game. I’ll look forward to meeting up with as many Positivistas as possible
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Anicoll et al
112 East Stand Turnstile H 29 604
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afcstuff @afcstuff 3h3 hours ago
Walcott becomes the first Arsenal player since Dennis Bergkamp (1995-2006) to complete 10 years at the club
It’s amazing the amount of negative comments he is getting on the Arsenal twitter feed, I suppose they would rather he was more like RVP, Cesc, Nasri, Adebayor, et al.
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So the “spineless bastard” on Sunday is Mr Clattenburg – wishes do come true. He’s certainly the best of the current bunch. Looking forward to it. Feels like a long way off.
30 quid + sounds like an awful lot of money for a football match, never mind one against a lower division club. Maybe I’m living in the past. I could get 4 cinema tickets for that here in Denmark (pensioner price) and still have change for a cappucino.
Stuffed up with a heavy cold at present – time for a snooze.
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You may be right Dk about both the price of Burnley tickets and Mark Clattenburg.
On the topic of ticket prices I was toying with attending the Chelsea game last night and every few minutes a handful of new tickets wold come up on Ticket Exchange. I have a £90 upper tier in my grasp but I let it go. It was not a good seat, high up, corner block, upper tier and £90 ( +£1.65 administration cost!) is a lot of cash to pay for a game I am already paying a lot of cash to watch on Sky.
My finger did however stray onto the Club tickets which again were popping up every few minutes on the Exchange as people decided against turning up on Sunday. One Club ticket I clicked on to was a prime seat, second row just along from the Directors box. And for the price of £235 I would have expected a marvellous view and Arsene to personally bring me my half time Bovril.
Unbelievably however not just did the bastards want £235 for the seat on the Exchange, the club also wanted the same +£1.65 for the ‘administration cost”.
Someone should call a Constable.
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Unfortunately I’ll be away when the Burnley match is on. The one time I wanted the game to be on Sunday! Have a good time those of you who are going
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rumors in Italy that Roma are in talks with Arsenal to extend Szczesny’s loan deal to the end of next season (no option to buy)
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Good news on the walking wounded, Danny back in full training next week means everyone up and running. TR7 playing a U21 game Friday, Jack and LeCoq already in full training add Elneny and the squad is bulging.
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Jack’s on-going malaise is a bit of a mystery.
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I have no idea why but I really hope that Mascherano has to do his year for tax evasion. Must be the latent Puritan in me.
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If Benzema is in the same nick they will have a hell of a five a side team.
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TEAM NEWS: OZIL, ALEXIS AND COQUELIN
Arsène Wenger has revealed the latest team news ahead of Sunday’s Premier League match against Chelsea:
on the latest updates…
Compared to last week we have no big problems from the squad that was available to face Stoke. The good news is that Ozil will certainly be available. For Alexis the next few days will be decisive but I think this time he will make it to be available for selection.
on Alexis…
The doubt is that he has been out for a long time and [there is] the risk of a setback if you try to go too early. To be clear on all the tests is one thing, after he is clear on training is another thing, and after that the intensity of a big game which you can never repeat in a training session. You can make sure after a certain amount of time that the risk is minimal. I am cautious with him because we cannot afford a setback with him. A setback would mean a very long period out so we don’t want to take this gamble. The signs he has shown in training this week are positive.
on Coquelin, Welbeck and Rosicky…
Coquelin is back in full training today and he is ahead of schedule. He has still a few steps to go through. Welbeck will be in full training next week so that is positive news. It is possible Rosicky will play in the under-21 game [on Friday]. He was a bit sick at the beginning of the week but we planned for him to play tomorrow night. We have a few players coming back because we go into a very important period now for us.
Copyright 2016 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/20160121/team-news-ozil-alexis-and-coquelin#L7k1U4MbpgoJTbEL.99
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coquelin back in full training
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/20160121/arsenal-train-ahead-of-chelsea-match
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omg, it seems we have a bit of a ball wizard in our U12’s,
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Idris Elneny @HectorBaelIerin 4h4 hours ago
Don’t even call these silly cunts “WOB” now, it’s “AMOB” “Arsenal Manager Out Brigade” – They’ll do the same to the new manager… Trust me.
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