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 
Why would anyone with a penchant for spending sorry I mean cleaning millions after spending it on tat object to an institution that does not believe in spending millions on tat like: Andy Carroll (don’t laugh it’s cruel to bully and heckle)?
I wonder? *Scratches Arse. Has a sniff. Goes off on a wonder through the undergrowth…*
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PG – I see BabaGrumpy doesn’t have 200k followers on Facebook or Twitter despite his patent commonsense and wisdom.
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Renato @th14Renato 4h4 hours ago
Renato Retweeted MD
“1st common objective”
What about supporting the club? Why don’t we all start doing that?Renato added,
MD @Memz_Dogi
ALL Arsenal fans should come together to remove Stan Kroenke from our club. This should be our 1st common objective
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Mark Clattenburg has been appointed the referee for Saturday’s away match against Leicester City.
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Clatters – excellent – top man with the whistle !
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I know, I have no moral compass
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I came here to hide from the latest outbreak of wobitis on twitter
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Welcome RP – pull up a WOB and sit down
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Mahrez signs 4 yrs extension.. so glad that is over cos i genuinely did not get who he was to replace in our team… Clearly all player use arsenal to negotiate a salary increase. LOL
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yep…
whether arsena bid or not is not known, yet d report is dat we he snubbed.. LOL
http://metro.co.uk/2016/08/17/riyad-mahrez-rejects-arsenal-and-chelsea-to-sign-new-deal-at-leicester-city-6074831/
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John @John_AFC_Gooner 2h2 hours ago
#KroenkeOut because Arsenal should be run by a few ego driven publicity seeking Arsenal fans on twitter who think they speak for everyone! 😂
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James Olley @JamesOlley 3h3 hours ago
Been told by source close to Usmanov camp there is nothing in rumours of selling stake in #afc. They insists its business as usual.
oh no he was the great white hope of the wob/kroenke out, and look “its business as usual”, how dare he, how very well dare he.
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Gnabry and his Germany team are into the Olympic final, v Brazil
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That rancid spud is rather ugly be is most welcome here….
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Transfer Centre Live @TransferCentreL 9h9 hours ago
Scouts from Sunderland, West Brom, Brighton & Sheffield Wednesday will watch Blackburn defender Shane Duffy tonight.
Blackburn Rovers @Rovers 2h2 hours ago
Shane Duffy scores two own goals & is sent off in stoppage time as Rovers suffer a third successive league defeat.
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That Shane Duffy has pashun – Arsene must sign him
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– Gnabberinho player of the Olympic tournament
– Alexis player of the tournament at the Copa these last two summers running (I made up the bit about last summer but it’s probably true…)
– two of the star CMs (albeit one now injured sobs) from the Euro thingy, star defender, and even a striker who actually scored some goals at the tournament…
Vengarrrhhhhhhh!
What is he doing!
Is how one runs a football club? For footballers? What in the blazes is going on here? Where are the back room deals like that involved in the innocent transfer of Jon Obi One Mikel to Gazcorp FC or FC Bebe’s of St.’s Mendes&Raiola
No wonder the Arsenal are being attacked by a bunch of toothless hyenas who call themselves journalists but are in fact the underpaid PR reps for various sociopaths, as can be easily determined alas that’s not an opinion.
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WENGER ON MUSTAFI, LACAZETTE, TRANSFERS
Read on for quotes from Arsène Wenger as he discusses his approach to the transfer market in the final weeks of the window:
on if Sunday shows Arsenal need a centre back…
It was important before the game already. You do not sign players because you think it is important or not. I believe it is very difficult to identify people and find them. We have many examples in England of teams that spend a huge amount of money looking for central defenders. That is why everyone is in the market for the same players and very few players as well.
on Mustafi…
I believe it is better I don’t speak about any individual player. We are working very hard. You are absolutely convinced that I don’t want to spend the money, but I would like to reassure you that we are ready to spend the money we have. As always, not the money we haven’t got [because] it is not my money.
on if fans will be happy to hear that…
Buying calms the fans down, but it is important to spend but even more important to spend it the right way.
on whether English clubs are being priced out with transfers…
You could say that today in Europe you have two markets. One for the English clubs and one for the rest of Europe. The danger of the English situation at the moment is that the English clubs can suffocate themselves in the long term. Why? Because they buy players at a very high price. That means there are very high wages linked with it and if they are wrong, they will have these players with high wages who cannot move anywhere else. You start the first period now of English clubs having to pay massive wages. Even when the players go out, they have to pay their wages. In the long term, that will mean that the financial advantage the English clubs have will drop because they will be on their wage list. They pay for 10 or 12 players who have gone somewhere else because the clubs they go to cannot pay their wages.
on transfer market setbacks…
If you look at the whole transfer market, very little happens on the whole. It is about the availability of players. There is a huge amount of money for average players – there are plenty available. But to find the players that will strengthen your squad is much more difficult.
on Lacazette…
We do not talk about individual players. I told you already what the are the criteria for the price of a player but you could add one more: the identity of the buyer. When the buyer is English, it is true that it multiplies the transfer by two or three or sometimes by 10 because if for the same player an English club does not come in, he is worth five million. But if an English club comes he is worth 35 or 40 or 50.
on whether it’s more difficult to attract players…
No. We have plenty of players who want to join us and I would say that even with the players who left, 99.5 per cent of the players have asked to come back even when they left. [Thierry] is one of them. It’s not so difficult to attract players.
on paying over the odds…
Look, first of all you always have to be convinced by the quality of the player. Before you pay over the odds you have to be convinced that the player is good enough to strengthen your squad and you then have to make the decision as to how much you pay over the odds. That is not a problem but you must then have the money available to pay because we’ve already invested, people forget that, at a very high price and we will do it again.
on identifying a target to pay over the odds for…
Look, we work very hard and I cannot tell you much more. What I fight against is to think that the only way in football to deal with is to buy. It is right when you need the players and you identify the players and we are not scared to spend money, but to buy in itself is not a quality but to buy the good players is a quality and I think this club has been built on that. We had great success in the last 20 years in improving our structures and the main thing is based on a transfer policy. From that we have built a club. I know that everybody questions that at the moment because we haven’t done as much as people wish but we are out there and I believe I have made 400 transfers in my life approximately and I know that every transfer has a ritual. You are not the only one to decide.
Read more at http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/20160818/wenger-on-mustafi-lacazette-transfers#KfA571W8dl7Q2Ubo.99
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‘I WANT TO KEEP HIM AND EXTEND HIS DEAL’
Arsène Wenger has expressed his determination to keep one of our rising stars at the club – and also extend his contract.
Serge Gnabry had a difficult loan spell at West Bromwich Albion last season, but has been in scintillating form in Rio de Janeiro with Germany, scoring six goals in five games.
“I want to keep Serge and to extend his contract,” Wenger said. “We stood by him for a long time.
“He want to West Brom and didn’t get a game, and we had to to rebuild his confidence when he came back.
“I allowed him go to Rio without playing for us at all, to get him back to competition and help Germany. He has been here for a long time and it is important for him to stay with us.”
Read more at http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/20160818/-i-want-to-keep-him-and-extend-his-deal#SpSBfeVhueiruUDc.99
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it shows the sort of idiots the malcontents are, we now have access to Arsene Wenger’s full press conference, we can hear the questions, we can hear the answers, yet we have fake outrage at the soundbites and articles the journos write after the presser, based on claims AW said stuff he did not. I posted above, comments from AW on transfers, and no where did he say AFC being priced out of the transfer market, yet that is the headline used by the mirror for the john cross article, and of course the idiot fans run with it. So despite a live presser available, full transcripts too, the malcontents would rather run with the lie used as a headline, to further their fake outrage, and attempt to do more damage to the club they claim to love.
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happy about Gnabry cos he is quite a player in the Sanchez mould… but for injuries, many would have known that before now…
Glad the Olympics afforded him a platform. Now Germany have beaten Naija i can support him for the gold obviously.
West ham Record signing out for 4 months after 35 minutes into his debut.
You can’t legislate for these things!
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jesus its just been revealed on twitter that our george is the mystery man with the cardboard box on his head, news to us all, and even news to george.
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its suggested that Arsenal will allow Gnabry to go on loan to Hertha Berlin, but only after he signs a new contract.
on the subject of Gnabry, anyone watch the Germany v Nigeria game last night on BBC, they really had a bee in their bonnet against him, if he shot they said he should have passed or shot to other side, if he passed they said it was wrong pass, or poor pass. I thought I was watching a different game to them, and even doubted myself, until I seen the highlights of the game later on RTE, and the commentators there actually seen the game I had seen. Gnabry was very good once again.
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“the mystery man with the cardboard box on his head”?
Eh? Uwot? What’s been going on, amidst the dementia have people’s faces started to melt alongside their minds?
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It’s almostas if the plundits have had somekind of briefing against the Arsenal. But no. There’s no evidence for that. Is there?
“Au Revoir VENGA”
(this factual quote was actually a far more demeaning moment for all concerned viewer and plundit then the underpants episode – and it was also far more revelaing! Heh.)
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< or even revealing
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today Red and White Holdings issued a statement, which read:
“Contrary to some speculative media reports, Red and White Holdings would like to state that Mr Alisher Usmanov does not intend to sell his stake in Arsenal Holdings PLC (‘Arsenal’).
“Mr Usmanov continues to be committed to Arsenal and considers his stake in the Club as a long-term investment for his family and future generations.”
imagine that, Usmanov, the great white hope of the Kroenkeouts, sees Arsenal as an “investment”, its almost as if he sees it as a business, and not some sort of play thing that he wants to throw money at, like the malcontents like to pretend.
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finds did you not know that one of the podcasts had a pro wenger pro club guy appear with a cardboard box on his head, on the anti wenger anti club side was the fruit tile guy. The id of the cardboard guy is well known it seems, but it still don’t stop idiots trying to attack any other pro Arsenal guy by claiming he is the one who had the cardboard box on his head.
The cardboard box guy has sort of claimed he did it to take the piss out of the whole fame seeking uber fans out there that are using the WOB agenda to get their 15 minutes of fame.
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fins what does this refer to
“Au Revoir VENGA”
(this factual quote was actually a far more demeaning moment for all concerned viewer and plundit then the underpants episode – and it was also far more revelaing! Heh.)
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Wenger’s presser was a stunning repudiation of the multitude of idiocy and fear mongering by the big bloggers and podcasters (Arseblag, Footballistically Arsenal) have spewed in the run-up to last Sunday and since:
“What I fight against is to think that the only way in football to deal with is to buy. It is right when you need the players and you identify the players and we are not scared to spend money, but to buy in itself is not a quality but to buy the good players is a quality and I think this club has been built on that. ”
The fact that these guys benefit commercially from spewing such patent nonsense seems to completely go over the head of the mindless lemmings who hold onto their words.
The most revelatory statement, which will go over their head of the sheeple, is the following analysis of the negative impact of English overspending in the transfer market:
“You could say that today in Europe you have two markets. One for the English clubs and one for the rest of Europe. The danger of the English situation at the moment is that the English clubs can suffocate themselves in the long term. Why? Because they buy players at a very high price. That means there are very high wages linked with it and if they are wrong, they will have these players with high wages who cannot move anywhere else. You start the first period now of English clubs having to pay massive wages. Even when the players go out, they have to pay their wages. In the long term, that will mean that the financial advantage the English clubs have will drop because they will be on their wage list. They pay for 10 or 12 players who have gone somewhere else because the clubs they go to cannot pay their wages.”
Self evident. It is the harsh truth. But truth is like poetry. It is sometimes complex and demands thought and analysis. No wonder the sheeple fucking hate poetry.
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but shotta the mirror/john cross stated that Wenger said “Arsenal being priced out of the transfer market”, and I know a great soundbite like that is far more believable than all that waffle that Wenger actually said, you see his actual statements are far too complex, and time consuming, but a one line soundbite headline, now that I can take in, comprehend, and repeat as fact, without even the slightest need for any thought, any analysis, or indeed any need for truth.
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Rocky#7 @AFC_unningham 46m46 minutes ago
So yesterdays rumour of Usmanov “clearing off” was fake then. How many more BS stories will a lot of @Arsenal fans believe/create for hate?
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TEAM NEWS: RAMSEY, IWOBI, KOSCIELNY
Arsène Wenger has revealed the latest team updates ahead of Saturday’s Premier League clash against Leicester City:
on Ramsey and Iwobi…
Both of them have minor muscular problems. I think they will be out until after the international break but we feared worse – for Iwobi especially. It is a thigh problem for Iwobi, and Ramsey is a hamstring that will require two or three weeks. It is better news than we feared at the start.
on Gabriel…
He is doing well, but it is six to eight weeks. He is in the boot, but it is very difficult to assess him because he cannot walk properly at the moment.
on whether Ozil, Giroud and Koscielny will be available…
Yes, I will consider them for selection this weekend. Of course they have not played any games for a while, so I have to be selective and I cannot go for the three because that would be too risky. But basically with Laurent Koscielny I have no choice! If I have to take a gamble on one, it’s certainly on him.
Read more at http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/20160818/team-news-ramsey-iwobi-koscielny#2Urx5lOdEIXcOaPL.99
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going on that team news I’d expect 3 or 4 changes for the lcfc game, Kos in for one of holding or chambers, Ox for Iwobi, Santi for Ramsey, and maybe Xhaka for one of Coquelin or Elneny.
Cech
Bellerin Holding Koscielny Monreal
Xhaka Elneny
Walcott Cazorla Oxlade-Chamberlain
Alexis
subs: Ospina, Chambers, Gibbs, Coquelin. Ozil, Campbell, Giroud
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Eddy: The mainstream media has no choice but to put an emotional spin on any Arsenal related news. It is consistent with their commercial goals; fear sells. Calm, rational data-driven information only appeals to a minority, many of whom take full advantage of human folly.
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arsenal should call them on it, when the put out fake or misleading stories then demand a retraction or ban the journo. It hasn’t done lfc any harm refusing to deal with the sun.
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Eds:
It was a reference to Gary Linekar’s greatest moment. At the time in 2014 when the media and their hangers on convinced themselves that they’d managed to drive the arsenal manager out of the club (they failed) – the “mass protest” (don’t laugh it’s cruel) at the end of last season was a pale shadow in comparison to such a revealing moment by the state broadcaster.
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Eds if the Arsenal had better things to do then call out Gary Linekar for dressing up in the emperor’s new clothes whilst busting out his jingo-bells in all their glory for all to see, i wouldn’t hold your breath!
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Whatever you do whilst discussing AFC’s haggles with Valencia just don’t mention how much fun it must be to be dealing with the Neville-Neville Development coporations buisness and betting *coughs* partner who has also diversified into spanish football alongside property development* in Manchester, Black Market Master Peter Lim.
*yup it’s true – The Neville-Neville’s and Singaporean betting i mean sporting enthusiasts of this innocent world of ours dream of being like the Arsenal. Just like the 9alleged) body boiling smack snorting investor from the C.Asian mafia newtork.
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finsbury
Is this Peter Lim the guy who was pictured in the Channel 4 documentary ‘How to buy a football club?’ The guy who had Alex Ferguson on the phone to exhibit his influence in (or over) the game.
The name seems familiar/similar but I am unsure if this is the case.
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Shard
No idea.
But he is the genius who invited his buisness partner Gary Neville over to Valencia.
He has Mancy connections.
He shuld probably not be allowed anywhere near any football club alas it seems valencia had been shafted by their previous owner through property scams so badly that…that they all dream of being like The Arsenal.
Whilst the funny papers all say the opposite. Which, when you think about it all, it is all quite funny.
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I should be spending this time fixing up that post i promised george and not skiving off work. Back to the grind for me. Keep well you crazy supporters of the glorious Arsenal.
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Other clubs wanting to be like Arsenal? Surely you jest, finsbury. We’re a mess, a shambles, a joke. I have this on very good authority. In fact, there’s no escaping from it.
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Oh, I do love Positively Arsenal and all who post on it!
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Shard the way you describe it one could almost invent the story that the club had been attacked by the likes of the BBC for “being difficult for agents”, for signing players like Cazorla and Giroud for under £15M in the previous market.
Nah. That kind of thing simply doesn’t happen.
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finsbury
Did that really happen?! Wow. That’s incredible.
You know that Will Ferrell meme, ‘Actually I’m not even mad, that’s amazing.’ That’s my reaction right now.
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Just went back and checked about the Documentary. That fellow was from Thailand, not Singapore, and was named Joe Sim, not Peter Lim.
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Shard
Frin two seasons ago the meme at good old Aunty Bleeb was, and I paraphrase:
“The Arsenal are being unreasonably difficult for the poor agents. A nightmare for them to deal with, the poor lambs”
I kid ye not.
It’s almost as if these people think Peter Risdale and scum like Scudamore have been good for the game…
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£60M spent on Benteke in a year, crazy stuff
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He’s not even half as good as the kid who came on for Liverpool at the weekend. Which is why he was dropped for said kid during the 2014 WC.
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