Lots of football fans are spending a lot of time discussing the various merits of teams not their own. There is even a rift among Arsenal fans – but fear not for this is a rift of the gentlest and least acidic nature – as to whether Leicester City should stop irritating everyone and bugger off or whether they might continue just long enough to take points from Manchester City. Some are looking nervously over their shoulders towards Paxton Road as the noisy neighbours continue to stack up points in what looks like a irritatingly consistent fashion. Others worry that Manchester United, despite being written off as a disaster movie, are actually still in fifth place and hardly an irrelevance given their historical tendency to spoil things for everyone around them.
Supporters, like gunslingers in a wild west saloon, sit nervously fingering the hammers on their Colt revolvers, casting quick uncertain glances around the room unsure where the real danger lies. Such is the nature of the 2015/16 season. Uncertainty is king, the unexpected the only thing worth betting on. Some adventurous fellow was actually giving out his score predictions for all the top six clubs over the next few games. I read them and stood to applaud such selfless endeavour. Bravo sir. Could I suggest you perhaps get a hobby? Maybe he thinks he already has one.
The fourth estate, that foetid swamp of amoral, parasitic blood suckers doesn’t know which way to turn and is terrified that Arsène may put two fingers up to the lot of them and actually win the title. Instead of simply acknowledging where the club is they are trying to pile on pressure with their ‘the best chance for years’ narrative or as in the case of disaffected ex players like Robson openly stating that Arsenal ought to win the thing so that if anybody else does it can be painted as a huge failing by the manager and players.
I have a subtly different take upon all this hoo-ha and folderol. As soon as we hit the top of the table I actually cease to give two hoots about any of the other teams regardless of their upcoming matches or current form. Only when they appear on the Arsenal fixture list do they even truly exist for me. You see, my fellow followers of football’s finest, the time to worry about what the others do or don’t do is when we are chasing them not the other way about.
When my mother taught me to drive back in the halcyon days of the Triumph TR7 and Ford Fiesta XR2i, she would swat away any comment I made about the vehicle driving in such close proximity to my rear end that it appeared to be attempting to mate with my lumbering Austin Maxi. She would tell me in no uncertain terms not to worry about what was happening behind me “Let them worry about you” was her mantra and it is sound advice whether on the A362 or when contemplating a possible push for the Premier League pole.
We, in contradistinction to all other sides, enjoy the comfort of only needing to concern ourselves with our own result. Win today by any margin and we go top again. It is a splendid state of affairs. If and when it changes I shall alter my stance and ponder the results of the team or teams in front of us. Until then I’m not interested in the rear view mirror. There is only one goal and that is victory against Chelsea.
Any other year and a visit from any other team languishing in fourteenth place might not cause much of a flutter. Add to this the possible return of two of our better players and one might have expected a little more confidence in the run up to such a game. Except of course it isn’t any other team is it? It is the demon spawn of Fulham. The financially doped, universally despised, diving, cheating, thuggish ensemble of brattish, unsavoury ne’er-do-wells who have never made life easy for us. Like Liverpool and Stoke I expect them to raise their game today. The graph showing their league progress this season may have virtually flat-lined over the last dozen games or so but they still posses a talented and capable squad and we will need to be at our most truculent, determined best to prevail.
The table however, does not lie. Arsenal is where it is on merit and likewise our visitors are where they are on merit. Play to our potential and we can beat anybody. Refuse to rise to their illegal tactics or respond to their deliberate provocation and we will return to the top of the table this evening.
A capable referee is vital in this fixture as anyone who witnessed the debacle at Stamford Bridge can attest. I see that a certain Mr Clattenburg holds the whistle, cards and shaving foam today. I won’t presume to be able to distinguish his ability from any of the other hapless and most probably corrupt gang of useless, myopic and inconsistent fools who spoil so many matches every year, but I’m sure Andy Nic has Clatty’s picture on his bedroom wall and will be better placed to tell us what a decent, professional and responsible fellow he is. So I’ll leave that to you Andy.
Personally I used to hate playing Chelsea above all other teams. Their demise as a threat and the departure of the graceless one has somewhat drawn the sting as far as that goes. I still want to beat them of course. Granted, given that a win puts us back on top, I want us to beat everyone we play so that doesn’t mean much. I just feel, Diego Costa aside, that a little of the venom has left this particular fixture and that is all to the good.
Calm professional heads needed from now until May, I fancy. The kind of serene determination best able to shuck off the occasional predictable disappointment and get back to winning ways tout de suite. I firmly believe we have these kind of players. Given even half decent luck with injuries and a bit of backbone from the fans we should be there or thereabouts.
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Let’s do that which needs to be done today and allow tomorrow to wait until its appointed hour. At the time of writing our destiny is still in our own hands, get the job done today and we can begin to prepare in a similar vein for the visit of Southampton, with whom we also have a little unfinished business to attend. Oh dear, just listen to me, preaching live for today and at the same time lifting the skirt of the calendar to peep upon the knickers of tomorrow. I apologise. I will leave you to your pre match rituals. I’m off out to brave the weather on my trusty mountain bike and assuming I don’t leave the saddle in an unplanned and deleterious manner I shall return and resume our intercourse down among the wines and spirits. Salut!
Positively Arsenal 
I finished my bowl of porridge by the time it took to read your post Steww. A good way to start the day.
We should win today. This Arsenal team is just getting better and better…
Now for a cup of tea….
Yeah, I still have some butterflies….
It’s the unexpected that seems to be expected when the Arsenal play…
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The past couple of games against Chelski have been dire to watch and it is rarely a game with much football on display. Hopefully we can change that today and not get dragged down by the negative tactics of the visitors. My advice to Clatters and his assistants is to pack a spare pair of eyes for the back of your head. It is what goes on off the ball you need to keep a watch on.
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That was really rather well put Steww.
Contradistinction – now there’s a word you don’t encounter on every footballing blog.
It’s remarkable that my two least favourite fixtures – that of Stoke and CFC – should come so close together. Hopefully, with all our footballing ducks in a neat and tidy row, the result should follow the form but we all know Premier League life is never that simple.
Enjoy the game!
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“Oh dear, just listen to me, preaching live for today and at the same time lifting the skirt of the calendar to peep upon the knickers of tomorrow. I apologise”. Steww brilliance as usual.
I too have been guilty of looking at the fixure list and nervously thinking about the doomsday scenarios. could the spuds actually finish above us? could they win it? could leicester be the first team to spend less than us and finish above us. could we lose twice to chelski in their worse roman year. Uncertainty is fatal to the markets and is not good for supporters hearts, Steww is 100% correct again.
We come in to this game on the back of two hard fought away games where we traditionally dont get much, so although two points doesnt look like much they were actually good points.
Todays game could be one of those season defineing games, sorry for the cliche, as not only have the opposition got a good record against us, they have achieved it not always by playing well. Not only have injuries hurt us in this fixture but the men in black have failed miserably over the years, not only in major decisions but in the way the games have been officiated. I would expect clatts to keep his cards in his pocket for the persistent or obstructional fouls again today but overall I normally like him.
Overall the luck is so bad against this team that a win over them would be massive. Like I said our last two points have been a good two points and three today would be a brilliant three points
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Nothing left to say after that.
COYG.
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Team,
Cech,Bellerin Mertesacker Koscielny Monreal,Flamini Ramsey,Campbell Ozil Walcott,
Giroud.
On the bench,
Ospina, Gibbs, Gabriel, Elneny, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Iwobi, Sánchez.
Maybe not included,
Chambers, Rosicky, Reine-Adelaide, Arteta, Debuchy.
Injured or not ready,
Le Coq, Jack, Santi, Danny.
What a squad!
COYG
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Your description of Chel$ki good Steww, but “The fourth estate, that foetid swamp of amoral, parasitic blood suckers” leaves it standing. Great reading. Thanks.
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Excellent stuff as ever, Stew.
Short notice but ticket going at mo for this afternoon. Steve_J_I Twitter. (Was still available at time of writing and will be bargain price of 40 quid which is agreed price for all in group I sit with)
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reports that Giroud may miss today’s game due to an ankle injury.
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Hi Steve, ill have it if its still going
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As per usual a mighty fine start to the Arsenal match day. Thanks Stew. You’re absolutely right, the PL is a steeplechase race, we should only focus on getting over the next hurdle.
May we get over this irritating one and kick sand in their eyes after doing so.
COYG
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I see Ashley Young is out for an extended period.
Apparently he’s got something called Chytridiomycosis.
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I have very little to add to Steww’s latest masterpiece but I will try. Just to continue the metaphor of Arsenal retaining pole position, there are 15 laps to go and we are well poised regardless of today’s result. Unfortunately the emotionally weak,on whom the media prey, will exaggerate the importance of today’s result because they until recently were a rival for the title. What I hope to see today is our boys manage their emotions, unlike Gabriel last time around, and take a fully professional approach to today’s game. If they do this we should be ok.
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Chelsea :Courtois; Ivanovic, Zouma, Terry (c), Azpilicueta; Mikel, Matic; Willian, Fabregas, Oscar; Diego Costa.
subs: Begovic, Cahill, Baba Rahman, Loftus-Cheek, Traore, Hazard, Remy.
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Arsenal FC @Arsenal 9m9 minutes ago
‘We’ve got Ozil. Mesut Ozil. I just don’t think you understand. He’s Arsene Wenger’s man. He’s better than Zidane!’
Ozil’s 100th AFC game today.
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Tally Bally Ho!
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COYG!
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chelsea playing a very high pressing game, our defense been shaky in clearing the ball so far.
Campbell fluffed a decent chance from a walcott cross.
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Flamini miskickes a good chance
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Andy’s Mate Clatters in with an early yellow.
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first booking 10 minutes in, Oscar for taking down Campbell
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Chelsea have played some truly appalling passes so far. dreadful. To no one or into touch.
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Chelsea lucky with a deflection or two. We were lucky with Will I Am’s poor finish
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Larry with a little ‘sighter’
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not sure why linesman did not flag for an offside when ball clearly passed for the offside player, AFC had intercepted it but flag still should have gone up.
Willian with two shots,
Snake having an influence, might be an idea to man mark him.
Theo wearing the captains armband on the occasion of his 10th anniversary of signing for the club.
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Fuck
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damn!!!!
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18 minutes in Per sent off for last man tackle, the cfc break came from an attack where AFC players claimed a penalty for handball, which was waved away.
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Ah well. Any serious contest over with another red card early in the game. Irrelevant whether deserved or not. It’s happened. Chelsea get the best of the breaks against us don’t they?
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COYG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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surprised at Larry not Joel, but with Theo and Joel there will be a lot of pace.
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Fack off Chelsea.
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Gabriel on for Giroud, who I must say had looked lively so far, but he did start the game as an injury doubt, plus now we are down to ten its a matter of playing counter attack which is not his game.
ah for fucks sake Costa has scored, got in between kos and gab, too fucking easy.
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COME ON YOU GUNNERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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I think those replays showed he never touched him, although Per went off with much compalint.
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deliberate handball by Costa, freekick called but no booking,
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dkg – that’s because Per is a gent and too sensible to moan – the ref won’t change his mind.
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Is deliberate hand ball no longer an automatic yellow? I thought it was in the same bracket as taking off your shirt to celebrate a goal.
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I still dont think we will lose this game.
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yes stew. deliberate handball is an automatic yellow, so much for clattenburg being top man.
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oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
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monreal in a great position but our attackers all came out looking for the cut back, not having Giroud is cutting down our attacking options, it has to be to feet all the time.
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Eddy -who seriously thinks Clattenburg is anything different from the rest of them? Absolutely no excuse for not giving the thug a card then?
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getting better.
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walcott nearly in on an Ozil pass, he looked offside, but failed to take the ball
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steww I have no faith in any of the refs, have seen too much of them to think any of them will adhere to the actual rules.
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chelsea players look like they all took their “vitamens” for this game, look quicker, more powerful and more full of energy than ours all over the pitch
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we’ve had 4 attempts none on target, cfc have had 8 with 5 on target.
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