Anyone who knows me knows of my interest in obsession, addictive behaviour and the curiously exaggerated importance we attach to football. Anyone who reads Positively Arsenal (you for instance) is an example of the most successful evolutionary outcome the world has ever seen. Intelligent beyond the imagination of our ancient ancestors, dangerous and powerful by many magnitudes beyond the limits of all other species. Don’t believe the Netflix programme Zoo. There is nothing the animal kingdom could ever do to threaten us now. We are mighty. We are at the very pinnacle of the selective process.
And yet we actively choose to allow a football match to dictate our mood each week. Not even the whole match either. The result alone can send us spinning to the depths of sullen, ill tempered misery. Snappish with those we love, enraged out of all proportion with anyone foolish enough to cross us.
I recently experienced a further manifestation of this football related mental disorder. I’ve been reading Homo Deus by Yuval Noah Harari. It’s a book full of fascinating insights into the algorithmic processes which drive our behaviours and just how little real choice or free will we actually have. In one section he describes experiments into the way the brain can be stimulated artificially. Scientists can entirely control the actions and desires of lab rats and are quick to reassure those concerned with animal rights that it’s all OK – the rats are convinced they’re enjoying the experiments because the scientists make them think they are.
Similar techniques are employed on humans to relieve depression, to make people feel they are making certain choices and are enjoying those choices. Trans cranial direct current stimulators are complex helmets worn by test subjects. They use electrical impulses fired directly at specific areas of the brain. Sally Adee, a journalist for the New Scientist agreed to take part in an experiment. She entered a combat simulation suite wearing such a helmet having previously attempted the ‘game’ without it. The first time she was terrified, panicked, and in a real situation would have very quickly been overcome by her assailants. When back in the suite and with the helmet taking charge of her mood, reflexes and choices she was transformed into a kind of Zen Rambo, calmly picking off every attacker in a relaxed, blissful, methodical orgy of virtual killing.
Without the usual humdrum human distractions of self doubt and external pressures Adee was turned into a proto futuristic super human. And what do you suppose was my first thought on reading about her experience? An operatic vision of the future of all human kind? A clear and terrifying insight into the techno-dystopia which awaits us? Nope. I pictured Santi Cazorla, his micro chip implants aglow, banishing all anxiety and the very possibility of failure as he stepped forward to take the winning penalty in the Champion’s League Final. Football. Of course. It invades almost every bloody thought we have.
Where Hull City are concerned Santi has already written his name on the Arsenal history book, never mind it’s future. Without any artificial support or stimulation, relying only on the natural ice water in his veins he placed as perfect a free kick as you could hope to see over the Tiger’s wall and put us back into the FA Cup final at as good a moment as he could have chosen. The rest, as they say is cliché, but I believe it was that moment which sparked the latest successful chapter in Arsène and Arsenal’s illustrious story.
Poor Hull have really suffered against us in that particular competition. In the league one would need to go back to 2008 for their last victory over us and all the way back to 1915 for the win before that. So history suggests the three points should be eminently achievable. Of course as Mark Twain said “History doesn’t repeat itself, but it does rhyme.” Although I’m not sure quite how much to read into that where today’s game is concerned.
Hull were written off by the ‘experts’ before a ball had been kicked this season. Losing their long time manager, short of players, the subject of takeover attempts, and with unrest among the fans in the stadium their return to the Premiership looked less than triumphant. And so of course they proceeded to beat the champions on the opening day and won their following two matches coming a cropper at Old Trafford by the only goal of the game before drawing away to Burnley. Their caretaker boss picked up the manager of the month for August and now we travel to the KCOM stadium on equal points with the home side unsure precisely what to expect.
Traditionally the game against unfancied opposition in the week of a Champion’s League fixture is seen as a potential banana skin. In truth any Premier League side presents a threat, no results are guaranteed. While we have been treated to some thoroughly entertaining games so far this season I can’t say the machine has been running as smoothly as I might have hoped. A couple of players have looked a little short of form and the team as a whole hasn’t seemed as coherent as we have come to expect.
I strongly suspect the hangover from the international tournament, allied to the new faces in the squad has hampered smooth progress. Arsène must take into account the players who require a long lead time into the season following their gruelling summer, those coming back from injuries and those he needs to integrate into their new surroundings. He has unsurprisingly stuck with tested combinations where he can and used the new guys sparingly. The obvious exception is Mustafi who, given the injury problems in his particular area of expertise, has had to get straight on with the job .
These issues will of course cease to be a problem as the season progresses. The crucial thing is to keep grinding out the results until things settle down. As much as I’d like a repeat of the first half of the Watford game I’ll settle for the grim determination with which we climbed back into the saddle after PSG looked like they had knocked us clean out of our stirrups in the first minute. Will we see a changed team sheet? You know what, I never used to play those silly selection games so beloved of the amateur footy writer and so far when I have pondered on the likely line up I’ve been sufficiently wide of the mark to remind me why I don’t pad out the blog with such nonsense.
All we know for sure is Arsène’s preferred back five and that when fit, Mesut and Alexis will be very likely to start. The other four places are anybody’s guess. Why football fans like to moan about the manager’s selection is truly baffling. Naturally we have our favourites and we always want to see our favourites play but there is something wrong with your mental health not the manager’s if you think that should have any bearing on team selection.
Your green grocer knows best how many Granny Smiths he’s likely to need to order for any given week. You don’t. All you know is when you fancy an Egremont Russet for a change but he has sold out of them you experience disappointment. It doesn’t mean the greengrocer is a moron nor that it’s appropriate for you to call him one. It certainly doesn’t qualify you to lecture him on which apples he ought to stock.
Anyway, whatever the line up with which the man in the know decides to go there are players who will be either keen to keep their places with a very strong bench breathing down their necks or others extremely motivated to shine if given a chance to start. All of which ought to bode well for the team and therefore for us super evolved, highly intelligent, mega beings who’s happiness is entirely dependant on them having a good day at the office.
Positively Arsenal 
steww what you mean when, did you not know its already been decided he is not good enough or at the very least not ready yet
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Mustafi looking very much at home now. Little run of games has settled him. OK he missed that header as I typed this but until then he’s looked sharp.
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Eddy – God no I didn’t realise they’d already started in on him. The only negative thing I’d read was laughable – Wenger will ‘ruin’ him like he does all young players.
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Hard to tell from the stream if Walcott went for a cross or shot. That was a second or third slick move down the right. Plenty of good footy from the Gunners today.
Robertson with a good recovery to deny Sanchez. Arsenal trying to find that second goal atm.
Mistake from the new CB but the skipper on hand to mop up.
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replays suggest Alexis got a touch on the iwobi shot, so has gone down as an alexis goal, not an iwobi goal
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Walcott not finding the finish, arsenal close to a second, can they find it?
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Sublime touch from Santi
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How did we not score??
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27 minutes – should have been the second, iwobi with a shot saved by the keeper and ozil fires rebound high over the bar from six yards out
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Good save from the keeper off Iwobi the rebound just a fraction to hard for Özil.
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Mesut going for power over placement – curious for him of all people
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Getting closer.
Come on the Gunners.
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33 minutes – Cazorla booked for a mistimed tackle
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Santi getting a booking a game these days
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Walcott and Bellerin have been a good combo so far. Robertson playing well but he’s had easier games. They can only get better.
The new CB playing well. Two outstanding tackles so far. Not last ditch but dominant.
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Midfield General.
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First time Hull nearly craft an opening but Snodgrass couldn’t beat Cech. AFC need to find their breath again after having gone full tilt looking for the second.
Good game.
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When will poor Coquelin get his goal?
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Fucking harsh sending him off too. Why the hell didn’t Santi take the pen? Not criticising the ref he has to follow the rules, nor Alexis but Santi is the penalty guy.
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jake livermore sent off for deliberate handball from a coquelin shot, alexis penalty saved, not enough power in the penalty and keeper gets down well to make a good save
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Penalty!
Red card!
Mr.East looking to win Gooner hearts and minds.
Should’ve been Santi.
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the question on the penalty that needs to be asked is, what was coquelin doing taking a shot inside the area, does he not know the malcontents say all he can do is run and tackle.
iwobi looks like he really wants to get a goal today, he is shooting every chance he gets.
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west brom 3-0 west ham
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I think he does know what he is doing
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Nearly an OG off the corner! Alexis almost making a lucky amend.
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Anyone else worry we’re vulnerable to a red card now? The old ‘evening things up syndrome’ which I’m sure is a load of old bollocks but I can’t help thinking it.
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you know we might need to take off cazorla to stop East from evening it up
west ham 3-0 down at west brom at ht, after having 76% possession
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…time for a tup of cea and some provisions. Really great game so far.
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And the boos ring out. That’ll encourage the home side.
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Can always sub Santi for reserve like Xhaka.
Heh.
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Why didn’t Santi take that penalty? I don’t get it.
Alex Iwobi is a monster of a talent offensively. Just needs to work on his defensive awareness.
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we need to win by 3 or more to go second in the table.
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Think the fans of the Royal City were booing the Royal Arsenal for having the temerity to score.
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ah shotta you must have the same stream as i do, as they have from the off decided that Iwobi does not put in a defensive shift and have totally exaggerated it so far.
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Three points and a clean sheet will do! IBSF.
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I wonder are west ham fans on hammers tv saying Bilic should have been on the training pitch all summer and not out in france working for the bbc
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we all know that if Cazorla ends up getting a second yellow it will be all wenger’s fault for not taking him off at half time, with us leading and against ten men.
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Shotts – I did notice one defensive mistake where he went to the same guy Nacho had already closed and left the runner in acres of space. Otherwise he’s been pretty sound.
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Alexis is naughty.
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oh no wenger don’t know what he is doing, cazorla is starting the second half
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man city with a quick fire third goal v afcb
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Most significant observation in 1st half:
Uber tweeters/bloggers hoping AFC crash and burn because Arsene doesn’t favor their preferred lineup and tactics.
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in all seriousness we have to get cazorla off, he will be sent off next foul he commits
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Eddy – he is definitely on the ref’s radar
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also steww it looked to me like a minute ago caz pulled out of challenging a hull player cos he knows one more and he is off, he is now limited, should take him off
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west brom 4-0 west ham
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Bingo!
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theo’s 100th career goal, does he not know he is meant to be useless.
a great flowing move, and a fine finish by walcott. 2-0
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Alex Iwobi is a bona fide star. I told yah. What an assist for Walcott.
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#PhelanOut
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