Bore da pobl y Positives,
What a cracking game yesterday. One that will stick in my mind when the record of the 2016/2017 Premier League season is published.
Of the game itself? I admit I anticipated an easier afternoon, against a Swansea team in the bottom three, not won a game since the opening day of 13th of August in any competition, who have struggled this season on their travels, and who rolled up at the Ems with the unknown Mr Bradley in charge. What threat could they provide to an Arsenal side that has been flying of late, a virtually fully fit squad, quality all over the pitch and the Ems a relative fortress with the Scarfists silently peripheral in their misery as winning game follows game.
I should know better although until the 38th minute everything proceeded as I expected. We dominated the ball, passed well, slipped in the first with Theo showing the strength of a young Hercules, then doubled our lead. The visitors really did not have an answer. They chased us desperately but were always a yard behind. “Welcome to the PL Bob, this could get a bit tricky for you though”.
And then in the 38th minute that silly error from Granit, the ball given away needlessly which Sigurdsson slotted beyond Cech. That was a hell of a finish from a player who is not supposed to be a striker. Over those few seconds our dominance faded and/or Swansea sniffed the possibility of recovery from what a moment before had been a serious beating. One of THOSE moments.
Thereafter for the remainder of the match we found ourselves in an even contest, lots of energy, Alexis buzzing, cut and thrust, both sides playing a good passing game, their man Barrow a constant pest, both sides attacking con brio. We eased a little further ahead with an outstanding ball from the Chilean and a super finish from Mesut. And then, damn them, SCFC managed to drag us back to 3-2.
I could sense the manager’s unease when he put on Le Coq in place of Iwobi. This was going to be a hard last 25 minutes, the points were far from safe.
Moss’s choice of card colour was, as Arsene said, “harsh”. Whether Barrow was in fact injured I don’t know. A trip would not normally cause an injury but he appeared to be limping afterwards and exited ten minutes later so perhaps he was.
The final 20+ minutes were end to end stuff. Swansea had most of the ball, we defended carefully, solidly, cleanly, and kept them at bay. Our earlier looseness in defence was replaced by steely efficiency. Much our credit we also were (almost) deadly in our counter attacking, with two more chances for Theo that would and, in the case of the second one, should have finally hammered the Swans to defeat.
Of the result ? Very, very important. We stumbled in the 38th minute but managed to stay up. We had less possession than Swansea, and ultimately less players, but we had we used more effectively. Three points on a day when our rivals slipped up. Three points in a game decided by a pass and a finish from our two world class players. As you may gather from the photograph above the game took it out of me.
The significance of the game and the result ? Our sixth Premier League victory and we settle on the shoulder of the blue Manchester team, breathing lightly on the shiny dome of Pep. As I said in opening on such days are League Championships won, and lost.
Therefore enjoy your Sunday and we shall see what the champions of Bulgaria have to offer later in the week.
Positively Arsenal 
First.
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I’ll be banning myself for that.
🙂
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It was great entertainment wasn’t it Andy? If a little bit exhausting, but as you say over coming such adverse happenstance is the stuff of champions.
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A5, diplomatic as always, it was a great game we did play some beautiful football but in another game we would of fallen foul to the dark arts of refs interpretation.
I am reposting this comment as I really feel strongly about it and feel we are missing something stareing us in the face, are our refs corrupt?
Dangerous play can be levelled at anything to be honest and would I prefer it to be banished from our game of course but the fact remains you have to referee within the context of the game not whats morally right. In the history of our game and from ive seen in foreign leagues and internationas I have never seen a tap tackle result in a sending off. Now if were clamping down on something bad in the game then, like the tugging of the shirts, you make that clear at the start of the season not just one ref, one game, against one team. If we are also including that as serios foul or dangerous play then within the context of the game there was three incidents where swansea players could have been sent off.
The tap tackle and intential body check to try and stop teams breaking away are cheating, are wrong and would be best erradicated from the game but please dont anyone pretend that under the current way the game is officiated that they are red cards because they quite simply are not.
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The great Arsenal sides routinely took the points with ten men. I remember a win at Anfield after we lost Giovanni Van Bronckhorst for diving after half an hour, Kanu played in midfield. It used to be a regular event.
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Yesterday was one of those afternoons and your explanation is on the button. The initial game after FIFA break is never any fun and combined with Swansea had banana skin written all-over it. Thankfully we got over the line and that’s all that matter.
I followed the Xhaka exchange yesterday here on PA. From my pov I don’t see anything wrong in what he did. I remember toward the end of last season vs Crystal Palace at the Ems Gabriel coasted next to Adebayor, reluctant to take one for the team that allowed him getting the cross in for Palace to nick a point right at the death. He got slated by many. Xhaka will learn how to be more slick when putting on those cynical fouls though.
We have a good run of fixtures next weeks to build up momentum for the NLD. COYG
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I think that 19 times out of 20 the card would have been yellow yesterday AoB and it would have been the right colour card. Does the one in twentieth time indicate that referees are corrupt ? Probably not, in my view. It suggests to me that Moss over-reacted to the incident, and probably part of that over-reaction was because Barrow was rolling round on the floor claiming to be seriously injured.
We have an exceptionally good record with Moss in charge – checking our and his record he has officiated as referee in 15 games for Arsenal since December 2011. Of those games we have won 13 of them, and lost and drawn one.
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This is a great Arsenal side.
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Morning Guys,
Following anicoll’s comment above, I have an alternative view based on the Laws as Moss would have interpreted them.
Law 12, relating to yellow card and red card offences shows which foul belongs in which category, and gives an interpretation of how each should be applied.
Law 12, relating to Serious Foul Play, in the Red Card section, says;
SERIOUS FOUL PLAY
A tackle or challenge that endangers the safety of an opponent or uses excessive force or brutality must be sanctioned as serious foul play.
Interpretation:
Any player who lunges at an opponent in challenging for the ball from the front, from the side or from behind using one or both legs, with excessive force or endangers the safety of an opponent is guilty of serious foul play [should be sanctioned by a red card].
As anicoll says, Moss may well have been influenced by the ridiculous theatrics of Barrow rolling around as if he had at least had a broken leg – altho, if he did, he would not be rolling anywhere.
The ref’s decision under Law 12 would be very difficult to appeal against, and maybe that is why AW has said we will not appeal.
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The old fart’s thoughts
Bogy side Swansea were allowed to give most Gooners near apoplexy as what should have been an easy win was turned into a real struggle to keep the 3 points so richly deserved.
Poor Granit has to take much of the responsibility following his giving the ball away to allow the Swans to reduce our 2-0 lead and then getting a very harsh red, albeit for a stupid foul, with 20 minutes to go. I go along with AW’s assessment that it should have been a dark yellow. Inexplicable decision from the ref.
We weren’t playing as well as we did against Chel$ki but the pressure was much the same. Shkodran hit the bar and Alexis and young Alex had chances. Close but no coconuts until Granit, Hector and Theo combined to put us into the lead. A bit of luck for Theo but he took skillful advantage of the defensive slip.
His good luck continued when he again took advantage of panicky defending and calmly scored our second.
Then Granit’s disaster; a classy finish that gave Petr no chance. That was a real pity as up until then, our clean sheet record looked likely to continue. Admittedly Nacho was being given a bit of a hard time; young Alex still has to learn that if Theo can defend, so can he, but our other defenders were solid as rocks….I thought,,,and then Petr less than a minute later, totally miskicked and it was great defending by Kos to prevent a potential equalizer.
I think it must have been a message from AW to Oz along the lines of “It’s your birthday, so have some fun” that resulted in our third goal. Maybe all the travelling had taken Alexis’ sharpness off a tad, certainly not his energy, but his chipped cross to Mesut resulted in a truly great goal. Power, technique and accuracy left Fabianski helpless and our two goal lead returned. Happy Birthday Oz. He and Santi were giving master classes and young Alex learns quickly (defensive duties aside). His slalom in, out, in, out, leaving defenders in his wake so deserved to lead to a fourth goal but unfortunately it was not to be.
Which led to two problems, the Swans pulled another goal out of mid-air and this was followed by Granit’s deliberate, callous and stupid trip. Most of us must have seen at least 50 of those this season alone from all the sides, but none has resulted in a red card. So we were down to 10 men again and relying on our defence to come up trumps. They did and surprisingly it was us at the other end who had better chances: Theo hitting the post after a lovely move and then the Ox bursting through the Swan’s defence to put a tap-in chance for Theo to finally nail his hat-trick. How on earth did the ball find a divot on our emerald turf? Theo’s tap-in turned into a skied horror instead. Next time we hope Theo.
Keep the faith
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Unfortunately I think you are right Henry – Moss was some distance from the incident and made his decision on what he saw, or at least what he thought he saw. He got no advice from the linesman or the fourth official both of whom were closer. In fact the 4th official was far closer and side on to the foul so better placed than the referee.
Quite an afternoon for Xhaka!
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It is always a worry when we return from international games, not just because of the possible injuries suffered, but also because an extended break interrupts the smooth flow of football and can often cause anomalies in results.
Yesterday we played very well in part, but were not at our usual standards at other times. Frankly, when we play our best games we can and do beat anyone, but as has been suggested above, the true test of a very good team is to win when we are not at our best.
I do not care for the doubting comments of those who carp on about ‘we were lucky’, ‘we were just holding on’, or this player, or that, was not performing to expected standards – leave all that aside – we won – now that is the key point – we won – all the rest will be tomorrow’s fish and chip paper or consigned to the rubbish bins.
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“How on earth did the ball find a divot?”
How did all the ground staff miss it at half time? What is the difference in the ground staff who wear the grey kit as opposed to those in blue? These are the important questions (we all saw Moss’s “performance” at Norwich last year).
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< tbf to the ground staff the divot could've been caused by a second half scramble in the Swansea area, there were one or two.
I forgive them. This time.
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6-wins and counting, the streak continues. History says when it hits 9 games it is a decisive indicator.
Very good work A5. I have amended my view of the foul to give Mr. Moss the benefit of the doubt, i.e. possible dangerous play, but like others have said, they happen week-in, week-out and I have never seen a red. Bollocks.
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I thought we might’ve seen Lucas start yesterday but Sanchez was probably doing press ups outside of AWs house at 07:00 yesterday morning, and he’d probably have come on but for the red card.
They are all tough PL contests so it wouldn’t surprise me to see some rotation coming up, but then again we might not!
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Shotts
Does the streak apply to PL matches only or are cup games included?
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I must say young Gibbo in particular and The Ox were resolute and professional in their defensive duties when brought on to defend the Alamo. Initially when the subs were made I had a bout of unease. But they are no longer young squaddies like that game at Chelsea, 2-3 years ago, when they were all over the shop that not even the ref could distinguish them. Now I have full faith and confidence our standards won’t fall when they come on the pitch. As always, excellent job in player development by AW and the coaches.
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Fins: With regard to streaks my research has focussed only on PL matches. Obviously you must have a winning streak to win cup matches; one slip up could cost you no matter how good you are.
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Certainly a bit of a roller coaster of a game, but ultimately, one we should have killed off earlier than we did. But Swansea, at the Emirates, with an experienced new manager must not be taken as mugs, and some of their players did well. Barrow is not the first Swans wide player to give us a hard time.
Looks like no lack of effort , but maybe just affected a bit by the borefest which is the Interlull. Still, some encouraging performances, and clearly a good spirit in the team.
As for Xhaka, despite what I believe I saw with my own eyes, far more knowledgable commentators than myself suggest technically, the foul could be construed as in red card domain, but it certainly was not to the spirit in which this league is normally officiated. Wenger has perhaps made a surprising, but ultimately wise decision not to appeal this, we won, we have cover, and perhaps an important, if harsh learning point for Xhaka. Also, keeps Wenger on the moral high ground when opponents commit the same , and worse against our players. He can point to this precedent….won’t get him anywhere, but at least he can mention it, and the fact he didn’t appeal it.
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seeing as I mentioned him yesterday
Andy Kelly @Gooner_AK 4h4 hours ago
Arsenal’s hero of Turin Paul Vaessen would have been 55 today.
Rest in peace, Paul.
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It was all my fault I’m afraid, the anxiety filled proportion of the game. Those around me knew and, ultimately, laughed at my apparent misfortune when the final whistle sounded.
My bets at the ground rarely hit home and more often than not, seem to jinx whatever outcome I have a flutter on, making one of my bets the best predictor of what ‘want happen’.
Yesterday’s drunk tenner went solely on one bet… 25/1 Theo Walcott hattrick. Arse!
Apologies.
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Re Granit’s red card, A mate of mine has sent me this:
All pundits on the show (Goals of the Day) in agreement that the red card is in line with the ‘new rules’ for this season.
The Ox saying fair call from the ref as he had explained it to everyone.
If a player is deliberately fouled ‘with no possibility of getting the ball’ then it’s an automatic red card this season; yellow last season.
Every year a ‘new rule’; getting worse than rugby.
If 100% then Granit either didn’t understand or deserves the KITA. Actually 2 KITAs…it was so un-necessary.
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so match of the day 2 also ignore the xhaka sending off, and continue where match of the day left off, with digs at Theo Walcott. The fear is real.
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gf60, if that is the rule, then every shirt pull is a red card, as its a deliberate foul with no chance of getting the ball.
Also the point on the xhaka sending off is that we are 8 games into the season, this sort of foul has happened in game after game, some don’t even get yellows, none got a red, but here we are and its Arsenal, and red is given.
If its the rule, by all means implement it, but implement it for all, not just for those wearing Arsenal colors
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gf60 would also point out that once Barrow got by him, Swansea had a 4 v 2 so was it unnecessary or was it the sort of foul Arteta used to do so well for us, maybe where Xhaka erred was to not foul the lad with a shirt pull before he got past him, and that way he would probably not even have got an yellow.
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by the way gf60, the new rules on red for deliberate foul with no chance of getting the ball, only apply in the penalty area, not in the scenario xhaka was in.
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I think just like when the hull player was sent off v arsenal for handball and BBC pundits stated the rules wrongly, now SKY pundit is stating the rule wrongly on the Xhaka sending off, and people have been fooled into thinking these people know what they are talking about, so it must be right, they would not get the rules wrong. When in fact they are totally wrong. But it will be repeated over and over and be believed.
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I feel so sick at the apologists for Moss’s appalling display that I cannot take any further part in this discussion.
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Steww the linesman was as bad as moss, how many times did he get the call wrong stopping Arsenal players being one on one with the keeper.
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Don’t see how we can call it a 1 in 20 when I don’t recall ever seeing it before in 25+ years of watching football.
If, however, it’s a new under-publicised tweak of the rules, we can still count ourselves phenomenally ‘unlucky’ to be the first team punished for it 8 match days into the season.
Anyway, this new tweak, if that’s what it is, must be the biggest change to the game since the backpass rules were changed. No more tripping someone on a break within your own half! A game-changer.
I’m confident we won’t see another one again this year…unless, thanks to zero fuss this time, it’s us again.
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Rich I’ve explained that there is no new tweek to the rules in the case of the Xhaka foul, only in fouls in the penalty area, its all part of doing away with double jeopardy as they liked to call it, and one of the tweeks is that it will be a red if deliberate foul with no chance of getting the ball is committed in the penalty area. A genuine attempt to win the ball that is deemed a foul will only see a yellow and penalty given, and not the red as in past seasons. Deliberate handball is still a red and penalty.
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wouldn’t you love if Theo Walcott when questioned as to why he is scoring for Arsenal, but not for England would just be honest and say “I’m playing alongside Ozil, Sanchez and Cazorla in one team but with Henderson, Dier and Lingard in the other, why do you think I’m scoring for one and not the other”
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Mesut Özil’s Premier League record for Arsenal since his debut:
88 games
33 assists
18 goals
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was that the first tap tackle of the season no, any tackle that it not well timed will bring a player crashing to the ground and so therefore are you considering them all dangerous. Our record with mr moss in charge bears no relation to his performance or wrong calls against us (check on untold). While I love new changes that will benifit skillful plaayers it is still a contact sport and I see nowhere thta the new rules suggest the tap tackle banned.
lets get real this was an overweight ref making a very bad callespecially when if you watch the game again so see Theo and Nacho hit in the face when players wern’t looking at the ball.
interpretation allows the explanation of any decision to seem possible it is a grey area that should promote common sence not extraordinary actions.
I’m sure in every place where there is corruption people say it couldn’t happen in our backyard well sometimes you have to be open to the possibility that money breeds corruption in every business and in our business right now there is more money than in any place at any time.
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As far a source I’m concerned we have El Neny or Coquelin in for Xhaka and they are more than good enough. Oh, and Ramsey is not far away. Not bad. I think it’s called strength in depth? I hope we see Lucas soon….
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One man who did not get a mention and who played well yesterday was that long term target of the Black Scarf mob Lukas Fabianski – playing every week behind the Swansea defence he clearly gets loads of practice but from what we saw on his previous visit and yesterday he has developed into a confident and very capable keeper. He made three very good saves yesterday from goal bound efforts.
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ah but anicoll the grass is always greener far away for some of our fans. We have lots of players in our squad who get it in the neck week in week out regardless of display, Ramsey, Walcott, Gibbs and Ox just the latest in a long list of targets. I’ve seen nothing from Cech this season, that I would not expect from Ospina or Szczesny, but we all know that their will be loads of moaning when Ospina is picked for our CL game this week, and if dear old Szczesny ever comes back to be our goalie thousands of words will be written with attacks on him, despite him performing outstandingly for Roma.
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http://dailycannon.com/2016/10/how-jon-moss-got-the-new-rules-mixed-up-to-send-granit-xhaka-off/?
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UberArsenal™ @UberAFC 56m56 minutes ago
Arsenal Longest Premier League winning runs:
13 (01/02)
10 (97/98)
9 (03/04)
8 (99/00, 14/15)
7 (07/08, 11/12)
6 (09/10, 16/17 cont.)
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Eduardo @ 4:30pm: Uber Arsenal is just catching up on data PA is long aware of. Three weeks ago I shared the data in a blog titled: “Arsenal – Is This Streak for Real?” at http://wp.me/p37nXa-2wY
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They’d probably be pushing this shite whatever we do, but can’t help feeling we’re playing it wrong in making it so damn easy for them.
It’s basically been filed away as a justifiable red now.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3841018/Granit-Xhaka-deserved-sent-against-Swansea-admits-Alex-Oxlade-Chamberlain-does-Arsenal-midfielder-problem-eight-red-cards-three-seasons.html.
Did Petit and, especially, Viera eventually accept that they couldn’t get away with things others could? I think so. Xhaka will have to do the same.
Will piss me off watching every other team perform similar fouls to yesterday and gain a lot from it.
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Another smooth write up A5,many thanks. Glad to see Shotts mention Gibbs coming on and defending rock solid.Not the first time this season.What I love is the way hes determined to do his job right when he comes on. Being a sub is a tough part of the game to fit in etc.
Also cheers to Eddy for mentioning the patron Saint of European games Paul Vaessen ( imo).I always used to post a pray petition to him before the CL games on and the results went our way! RIP PV.
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Eddie
I referred my mate to your link. Thanks and apologies for putting his “you’re wrong and this is why” extract on the site.
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FAO george, I viewed your “cheat” tweets today, and I would disagree with you that Xhaka’s tackle is cheating, breaking the rules, yes, cheating no, you say that to deliberately break the rules to gain an advantage is the very definition of cheating. I would say no, For me cheating is trying to get away with breaking the rules without punishment, also conning the officials for me is cheating, such as diving, feigning injury to get someone booked, even something that seems as harmless as claiming a throw in or corner kick knowing full well that it came off you or a team mate. But to commit a foul, even a deliberate one, for me is not cheating if you expect to get called on it and are willing to accept the punishment.
simply for me
All Cheating is breaking the rules, but all breaking the rules is not cheating.
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24 hours and we see the rules applied differently already
http://dailycannon.com/2016/10/chambers-starts-for-middlesbrough-as-referee-makes-mockery-of-xhaka-red-card/?
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See the slight tug on a Stoke player in the stoke half punished with a second yellow by Taylor I think, Bent Bent Bent. If we ever win the League with Riley in charge it will be a miracle
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Chambers with consecutive PL starts.
Exactly what he needs.
Wilshere completing eighty mins as he helps Bourmouth to their best result ever (?). A gentle gradient back to full fitness that should do him well in the long term. Exactly what he needs.
Good news all round this weekend*
(*Compared to Norwich Away Moss was well behaved. Please note that the injuries to Diaby, Ramsey, Fabregas, sending off the wrong player ‘bcoz they iz not racialist’ and last season Cazorla and Alexis were all inflicted during Away matches, for obvious reasons).
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Though for record we should also note that:
During the first Home game of the season the best CM from the Euro’s was kicked twice, less excusable then Xhaka’s, almost as if the star player had been targeted by the opponents (in a game of football? Well. I never…), of course no yellows from the pgMOB reprsentative on either occasion.
Although the official on that day was not a flagrant with his bias and erratic memory of the ‘rules’ as with Moss yesterday e.g.:ignoring head injury to Walcott for multiple reasons one being to let Swansea attack against ten…small mercies I suppose at least in this game he wasn’t spraying his magic spray all over the gaff.
He’s simply not fit to wear the shirt and its in no way horrible or not nice to point out that he his, hopefully, completely inept.
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if only pundits would sit there and think
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