Good Morning Positivistas,
Having looked forward to the opening fixture since the game was announced in mid June the afternoon did not disappoint and will certainly be one of the ‘opening days’ that are carved in the memory of games worth watching.
Clearly to be on the wrong side of a seven goal contest, and to drop three points that I fancied we should collect before the kick off, is a disappointment. A few hours reflection, sober and at times less sober, has however brought that disappointment into perspective, and allowed a drawing apart of the footballing strands of the afternoon.
Of the game itself both Arsenal and Liverpool struck me as rusty in the first half, with passes being hit a little aimlessly and no fluidity our movement compared to our Maytime/end of season smooth run through the gears. Liverpool were scrappy in front of the nervy Mignolet. Holding and Chambers looked fine. Monreal spent the first half hour leaping as high than an elephant’s eye, given any opportunity! A goal I sensed was coming from an error and, lo and behold, it was provided by the ridiculously top-knotted Albert Moreno.
First, his clumsy penalty challenge, then a charge up field to leave Theo unmarked who coolly slotted home our opener. “Theo, Theo, Theo”. A considerable relief for our new right winger and we were on a roll, surely ?
(I do not know if you were watching on Sky like me but the word “assassination’ was used by Neville to describe his own comments on the young Spanish wing back – for once Gary had exactly the right word).
Moving swiftly on however, as we all saw, having forced ourselves in front we did not follow up on the advantage. The Scousers managed to get a foot in the game and took advantage of a soft free kick award to slot an unstoppable rocket into Cech’s corner pocket. Bloody hell.
And then, and then, and then ….. the first fifteen minutes of the second half.
We stumbled out after half time as though under the influence of a mighty jab of dental pain killer. Our minds were as numb as our bodies, we did not appear to know how to keep the ball, or have the individual or collective wit to resist. I have no idea where it came from. I have seen it before, at Stamford Bridge, at Anfield, at the Etihad, even St Marys. One goal deficit becomes two, becomes three, becomes four etcetera. It was not, in my opinion, the second goal that rocked us on our heels. We were already stunned before that went in. But after that excellent finish by Lallana, and it was a very good finish btw, we had ten minutes of team wide, hollow eyed confusion. I have no idea why during this period of confusion in the game two players went down injured, and both had to leave the field ? Cause and effect perhaps.
We suffer from a collective mental malaise. It is not down to individual players, to signings, or to injuries. It is not even down to dodgy refereeing and Oliver was excellent yesterday, imo. We require composure when a game turns against us, and when we look in the basket we have none.
Can I explain why experienced, reliable players, suddenly switch off ? No I can’t. No doubt the experts will have a ‘000 plausible ideas. I shall however call what I cannot explain the meringue.
Much focus in the media, mainstream and social, has been in Chambers and Holding and the ‘weakness’ that they created at the heart of the AFC defence. I am not convinced, not remotely convinced. For goals two and three we were undone by very slick, fast passing and good finishing. Hector was taken out in the move for the second Liverpool goal, Nacho beaten by an excellent Clyne cross for the third. I doubt very much Kosc, Per or Gabby, or the unnamed and newly signed ANOther would had done any better. They certainly did not at Stamford Bridge, Anfield and the Etihad etc.
As Mane’s fourth went in I admit I was heading for the metaphorical exit on my armchair as I stared toward what appeared to be turning into rout. Jurgen Klopp, foolish man, celebrated with his players. Nevertheless that strike proved the difference in the end between the teams.
And then, somehow and against my and Jurgen’s expectations, the Ox twisted his way toward Mignolet who duly obliged with a howler to allow the shot to squirm in. Chambo’s glancing header brought us to within touching distance with about 20 minutes to go ……….
Could we ? Would we ? Should we ?
Well after those excruciating minutes Mr Oliver put us out of our misery, we never really looked like we would grab that fourth and probably did not deserve it. No clear chances created. The nearest we got was Theo standing on the ball on the 92nd minute. During that final phase Le Coq was fortunate to stay in the pitch, as I said the referee was in a forgiving frame of mind. LFC were better than us on the day, creating chances and tucking those chances away. Hard work required. I shall welcome Giroud back like along lost son.
So off we go, sunshine bus loaded, destination Leicester.
Positively Arsenal 
oh, as for Niall Quinn, his day job is providing broadband in Africa, he is making a fortune out of it.
LikeLike
Sky gone full brown tongue on Chelsea in their magnificent football display against the mighty Ammers – the soft penalty and the Azard penalty a trademark of this superb Wrst London sporting machine. Conte is clearly a genius – no I mean a GENIUS
LikeLiked by 5 people
Sky full brown tonguing at the Bridge. They never learn as Chelsea rely on a soft penalty from the occasionally vertical Azard to sneak in front of a dull Ammers
LikeLike
Bit of back-pedalling there from the Sky expert as the Ammers equalise
Having spent the previous 10 minutes telling us it’s “only matter of time til Chelsea get a 2nd” the daft Scot’s bugger then comes out with “as I said it’s never done and dusted at 1-0”
Hilarious – and still 10 mins left
LikeLike
Well after day of new EPL season, for me no team has stood out head and shoulders above the rest. I remember feeling that Phil Scolari’s Chelski looked awesome after day one but they didn’t continue that way. I think many will have egg on their faces with respect to Arsenal.
LikeLike
Any news on the extent of Iwobi’s injury (I would expect Eddy to furnish a reply. (Banned smiley)
LikeLike
Hang on its back to Conte genius headline as Costa scuffs in a shot – the little shit should have been sent off 10 minutes ago but there you go.
LikeLike
My opinion is Chelsea are no better than last season at the moment
They need to get in the transfer market and get a decent manager
LikeLike
Costa not booked for this, anthony taylor is still one of the worst refs in the league
LikeLiked by 1 person
Kante looks incredibly different in a midfield that isn’t hoofing the ball over him all game long. Tonight he showed why France started playing better once Deschamps put him on the bench. He could barely make a pass outside of his half, never mind a sharp, defense splitting pass to put one of his teammates through. I can’t believe the moaners think we should have taken a 40m punt on such a shit midfielder.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Anicoll, Chelsea will be worse off than last season. I don’t see this team beating the bus parkers at Sunderland, West Brom and Watford. Put a man in front of Matic and Hazard and company will die waiting for services.
LikeLike
I saw that at the time and was surprised Costa did not collect his second yellow
I just watched it again and it was a straight red – as Neville and Carragher pointed out straight away
The bloke is a fucking animal
( apologies to animals there – no offence intended)
LikeLiked by 2 people
What does Costa ‘think’ he is doing ? What his job is ? Professional football ?
I would not touch him with a barge pole – will Conte put up with the psycho clown ! Surely not
LikeLike
gp no news yet on iwobi thigh injury, reports suggest ramsey out for one months, might be back for southampton game after the international break
LikeLike
shipping 4 goals at home in the first game of the season would never have happened under George Graham’s watch, and not with leaders like Seaman, Dixon, Bould, Adams, Winterburn in the defense, and certainly not from a 2-0 lead, and not against some small club like Norwich.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAzCq4DXJ8Y
LikeLiked by 2 people
LikeLike
well it made me laugh, quote Daily Star article about Arsenal trying to sign Mustafi,
Valencia “could be willing to accept as little as £28m” for him.
LikeLike
So I know I’m behind, and I know you guys have moved on already, but I’ve been waiting all day to comment…stupid time zones and work.
Here’s something I find interesting about the talk of our often conceding a second goal in quick succession to the first (and what that supposedly says about team psychology): have we considered how often we score two goals in quick succession? It seems fairly often to me. In fact, I recall this being a bit of a talking point last season. So, do we put scoring two rapid goals all on the ruthlessness of our offense? Or, do we consider that perhaps a team’s being wobbly after one goal, and not always righting themselves before another goes in to be a problem that is not uniquely Arsenal’s? Also, yes we seem to have one or two games a season where the wheels well and truly come off, and we ship a truckload. But, we are not the only team this happens to. And I’m a bit weary of our boys being accused of being psychologically unfit to wear the shirt. They withstand more psychological pressure than most of us can imagine in our worst nightmares. And certainly more than any of those bullshit hacks that love to sit behind their keyboards and accuse them of being weak. It makes me sick.
LikeLiked by 7 people
Hello all,
With regards to the game, I was actually encouraged by what I saw from the team. We actually scored goals and looked a genuine threat going forward, that without our creator in chief, Ozil, which was not the case last season against West Ham. With guys like Kos back in the team, and more fitness as the weeks progress, we could actually mount a prolonged title challenge than before, let a lone winning the thing itself.
Have you guys noted the marked improvement in the officiating across the games this last weekend? Except for Diego Cuntsta not getting his marching orders, i thought the officials were much better compared to last season at the same stage. Hopefully they can keep the standards just as high throughout the season.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good morning Moses,
You are up early !!
LikeLike
You are missing the point Kelly about combinations of goals – any goal Arsenal concede is the result of shocking defending ( on our part), or shocking refereeing, or both. Whereas any goal we score is the result of genius (on our part), well almost anyway.
On Sunday all the Liverpool goals were, to varying degrees, very good goals indeed that I would have been delighted had we scored them. The free kick was placed with such precision and power it would not have mattered if Cech had a step ladder.
LikeLiked by 5 people
Thanks Georgaki
I was smarter than normal after the the game in that I avoided most of the talk, let myself digest the result, then headed here. Felt much better for it.
Been dumber since though as I’ve ‘slipped’ back to looking at Twitter and all the rest of it. Should’ve waited longer.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Chelsea putting Kante in a number 7 shirt is beyond ironic.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Costa should be banned for 3 games – which would probably mean Chelsea sell him back to Spain.
But this will not happen, thanks’ to the prick with ears.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The ref was very generous to Man Utd. Moses.
In other news, …….water continues to be wet.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Shotts
Re:Chambers
He must’ve have played LCB alongside Holding this summer at the youth tournament that they won, he just looked a little off balance when turning from left to right (Mane goal) or when attempting more ambitious diagonal passes, and we’ve all been impressed with his Merterplaymaking from RCB when he’s played there. So I’m guessing he needs a few more matches on the left hand side to settle in. There was a match up at Everton with the BFG and Chambers and if I remember correctly for that match the senior BFG was asked to go left, but I could be mistaken with that recollection.
Holding must be the reason the club let Hayden go.
LikeLiked by 1 person
DC do you mean to say that the Mendezian Mule consistently gets away with the kind of fouls that other played would be called on?
Blimey. There’s a shock to the system, I can tell you…
LikeLiked by 2 people
< players
LikeLike
Fins – I think Chambers played well. He had no help with Wijnaldum or (sp) or was it Mane one v one and maybe he should have hacked him but then we would have the counter factual nonsense that he should have jockeyed him down the line. He is a good one who will come good contrary to the usual suspects who want him sold or loaned out.
PS: So much ex-Arsenal yutes who the idiots kept repeating represent failure of our youth policy are now playing for top level clubs. Nordveit for example was playing West Ham or State Aid United. Buying players is usually evidence of failure to develop talent.
LikeLiked by 4 people
Hayden, Norfveid?
All this dithering and churning out footballers is not becoming a football club in the era of the super agent and their hangers on the Agent Wannabees who say that they ‘are against modern football’, for some reason I just don’t believe them! Hehe.
LikeLike
I think as Adrian Clark said for the Mane goal Chambers was left on his own facing the player on the edge of the box for a long time before reinforcements, in the form of Nacho, arrived. The three/four seconds delay allowed Mane more time than he expected to get inside and more time for other Liverpool players to get into the box and cause confusion. It was a small but costly lapse. Having said that it was still a lovely shimmy inside by the Senegalese and a lashing shot into the far corner.
LikeLike
Let’s hope we see Pep squirm a bit tonight.
LikeLike
Jeasus , Pep is getting ruthless, just seeing on sky sports news that Joe Hart will leave city in this window.
LikeLike
Reine-Adelaide, Sanogo, and Gnabry are all now listed in the first team squad on Arsenal.com, Bielik still listed in the academy squad. first years not added to academy list yet
LikeLike
man city fans dressed up as seats for their cl qualifier game tonight.
LikeLike
Hertha Berlin are trying to sign Serge Gnabry on a season loan, its reported that he will sign a new long term contract with AFC before being allowed to go on loan.
LikeLike
Anicol5, I live in the States, so my late night is your early morning hence the appearance of my post seeming to be in the morning.
D.C, to be honest, the United game was so boring I dozzed off it being early morning and all, so I probably missed the incidences. Bournemouth with the not-so-good players actually tried to play while united with Mata, Fellaini and Ibra kept booting the ball into the stands, no wonder they eventually lost.
LikeLike
http://babagrumpy.blogspot.co.uk/2016/08/arsenal-wenger-post-liverpool.html … …
LikeLiked by 3 people
How refreshing is that?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi Moses. As any new poster automatically goes into the Spam basket for moderation, and their post does not get looked at until someone staggers on to the site to open up in the (UK) morning, I thought a word of welcome was required.
You are on the bus now so enjoy the journey. We do.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That blog was a good one, George. Every sensible voice feels like a small miracle.
Very welcome. It’s pretty bad out there…
LikeLiked by 2 people
When any of the other so called top clubs such as City, United, Chelsea, Leicester and Liverpool (and to my shame I probably ought to include Tottenham as well) get subjected to the same levels of assassination by the media should they lose a couple of games) then I might start to take note of what they say about us. But until that happens I shall trust my own judgement.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Perhaps people have forgotten that the Spuds have had a very limited transfer window in terms of incomings – due to, oh let me guess? Building a huge stadium??
It also appears that one on their better players is threatening to leave unless he gets paid the (vastly inflated) market rate wages. sound familiar?
Do you hear the clamour that they lack ‘ambition’ up in N17?
Liverpool rebuilt one stand and their transfers this season have been limited – they have got out of gaol by being able to sell-off really bad players for more than generous money – a sign of overall market inflation.
LikeLike
19 year old Tafari Moore has joined Eredivisie side FC Utrecht on a season-long loan.
Read more at http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/20160816/tafari-moore-joins-fc-utrecht-on-loan#0jdSlzXFAEwhm2rd.99
LikeLiked by 1 person
After a good season last year, albeit with a calamitous final furlong, all eyes are on Poch this year DC.
If he can keep the Spud bandwagon rolling then good luck to him but a poor opening to the season then he will be nervy around the end of October, the time Levy traditionally despatches those he decides have to carry the can for the failure.
Jol, Juande Ramos, the Hod, that little Portugese bloke, all watched the Autumn leaves fall as their job prospects crumbled.
LikeLike
I see james olly done the usual contradictory article in the evening standard. An attempt at a real hatchet job on wenger. He went on about AW being wrong about their being a FIFA rule about 4 weeks holidays for players, but then revealed that there is an agreement with the European players union that players get 4 weeks.
He also blasts Wenger for giving Koscielny 4 weeks off, but then blasts AW for not giving Ramsey more time off.
The laughable thing is he accuses Wenger of “muddled thinking”, well if the term “muddled thinking” should be applied to anything it surely is Olly’s own article.
LikeLike
iwobi out for 4 weeks
LikeLike
RIP Dalian Atkinson
What the self-declared experts have forgotten in their self evident wisdom is that most players are not great players but given the right support and circumstances they can have great moments.
LikeLiked by 1 person
If you didn’t know already that James Olly is a prized Wally then I guess you’d be surprised to find yourself spending your precious free time reading some sh*t rag owned by some kind of psychotic fascist sociopath.
LikeLike
My apologies I mean “art collector” above *coughs*
LikeLike