I understand that in the knockabout pantomime jeering between rival football supporters it is necessary to deride the success of one’s adversary and inflate the prowess of one’s own chosen team. I get it. It’s the reason fans of Mansfield and Crewe can, without any discernible trace of irony, both sing that they are watching ‘by far the greatest team the world has ever seen’. It is part of the charm of the game.
Unfortunately when this same instinct is filtered through the prism of social media there is a more desperate edge to the banter. The desire to somehow be proven right is almost overwhelming and, sadly, it leads to us being made to look chumps at times.
I have always championed consistency above all else in football, it’s one of the reasons I rate Arsène Wenger so highly as a manager and the principal reason I am cautious of elevating every other coach who’s club enjoys a rare visit to the top four.
Very often a league campaign will throw up an unlikely contender. A side from the middle or lower orders will perform way above themselves. I recall Villa, Newcastle, Everton and Liverpool all having stand out seasons like this and of course we all know what happened with Leicester.
The salient factor is that they almost never repeat the feat. Getting there is incredibly tough, staying there almost impossible. Even super wealthy clubs with a short or long history of success find themselves struggling on occasions and for any side to break into the elite and stay there takes some doing.
It looks likely that Tottenham will finish above Arsenal this season. I hope it won’t happen today because we need to maintain our recent run of results to build confidence in the lead up to the cup final and keep the pressure on those above us. But realistically it looks like it’ll happen at some point between now and May 21st.
If it does it will mean that Pochettino has done the hardest job. He has followed a season where his side challenged for the title and pushed Arsenal to the wire with another where once again Spurs has been the only consistent challengers to the presumptive champions and may well go one better than its closest rival.
It is a real achievement and by rubbishing it we only make ourselves look foolish. One reason it’s a real achievement is because finishing above Arsène Wenger is no easy matter. He has proven to be one of the very best managers the country has ever seen and any side finishing higher that his either wins silverware or gets into the Champion’s League. Of course journalists and others hostile to our club will exaggerate the significance of Spurs’ success, but guess what; that need not upset you because no one forces you to listen to them or read what they write.
The derby is a massive game for both clubs given their ambitions in the league. Geographical and historical rivalry make it a huge occasion for local fans, for other supporters around the world it lacks that particular, visceral intensity. It matters because it’s another top club and they are above us in the league. It’s a tough away fixture at a time when we’d rather be pouring goals into the opposition net against someone less able to wound us.
I had a good feeling about Man City which was eventually borne out, similarly Leicester, no matter how late we left it, always seemed winnable. Today I just can’t read the tea leaves. We know that Spurs have suffered under pressure recently but their experiences last season will stand them in good stead this time around. That’s where consistency comes in, it feeds experience and know-how into the mix.
However, if we praise Pochettino for his two seasons dining at the top table, and we should, then how much more highly must we value our own manager who has achieved the same or similar again and again and has done so not for two years but for two decades?
I haven’t given up on the Champion’s League place yet and I’ll bet the players haven’t either. Today is a chance to close the gap on at least one of the teams standing in our way. If it also staves off the spectre of a reverse St Tott’s then that’s no bad thing either. The atmosphere will be hostile to say the least, the opposition as excited at their chances as a monk sitting on a washing machine. It’s up to us to spoil the party.
We need to turn that expectation to nervousness, convert excitement to impatience, get under their skin and irritate them. Oh, and while we’re at it scoring more goals than them might not be a bad idea.
If you’re going to the game please stay safe. I’ve managed to pull a 10 till 5 shift today so have to decide between watching the second half live or waiting and seeing the whole thing tomorrow. It’s a tough choice, although my chances of avoiding the result are minimal as I’ll be at another football match and, well, you know how people around you like to discuss the other games taking place.
Speaking of work, I’d better get going; enjoy the game and if I don’t catch you later I’ll see you next Sunday for Man United.
Positively Arsenal 
Run out of superlatives
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http://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples-of-comparitive-and-superlative-adjectives-for-kids.html
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Morning Stew – respecting an opponent, recognising talented footballers and a very capable manager – preparing for a battle to be decided by the finest of footballing margins ?
You’re off your head chief.
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Thanks Stew, I’ve picked “most immense”
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Very fair assessment. Potch has done a good job these last 2 seasons, to borrow Arsène’s phrase; who’s weight doesnt carry that of 2 decades, so for self-preservation I too will acknowledge that.
Saying that… today we say goodbye to what has been a good hunting ground for the Arsenal. No doubt something Arsène and boys are aware of. And giving that we still got so much to play for – top 4 being a celebrated ‘trophy’ now – we’ll close the WHL chapter with a bang!
COYG!
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A darn good read indeed.
George, if you run out of superlatives again then cheat like the Americans (apologies Kelly et al) and move into ‘winningest’ territory.
Eg “Not winning anything was the spursiest thing they could do”
“
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Good one, Steww,
A nice summing up of the aspirations of the two clubs, both of whom want to win just because they are local rivals, but also, on another level, because one is tilting for the title and the other to regain our rightful place in the top four.
Both you and Sir Anicoll share a similar maturity of thought when writing Posts, where personal insights are leavened with common-sense, sagacity and wit — so credit to you both for that — altho’ I note that the aforementioned has blotted his copybook by telling you that your charming, courteous, respectful and open minded appraisal of todays opposition means ‘you are off your head, Chief’ – and in this instance —- he is correct. lol
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Just hope our players turn up and put in their very best performances.
And that this game is decided by players, not officials…..75th game without a red card in an EPL game for Tottenham…..quite unbelievable when you watch them play these days…..I know there is a pro Tottenham media agenda…..but…..
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great Steww, yeah I remember quarter pound of rubbish near miss against liverpool, palace’s close call and of course norwich and look at those sides now.
Today however is not a day to give this particular opposition credit, when your brought up with the cock crowing in your face you hate anytime that could happen in the future.
June/July are months to be reflective about football and certainly not now.
Where normally I prefer to see good football, Wengerball at its best today is all about getting the win however that is achieved.
Of course when the Red and White buzzes and flows we can win at a beautiful canter COYG.
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“a monk sitting on a washing machine” …was there ever a better analogy? That deserves pride of place Steww. Maybe the best of the season.
It really is a pleasure to read and dream about how we could give WHL the farewell that we deserve. Here’s hoping.
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Morning all.
I think Spurs have had a magnificent couple of seasons and are rightly lauded for it despite winning nothing.
We meanwhile have had a magnificent couple of decades with periodic trophies yet guess which club has under-achieved according to the wretched media?
I generally DO ignore most of the punditry these days but when you start to see nonsense about ‘power-shifts’ after one incomplete season, it gets harder to ignore, if only thanks to the laughing fit such a claim invariably induces.
The likelihood is that Spurs are about to enter a very challenging 5-year period. If the dive-specialist coach Poch is still around after that, then let’s have another conversation at that point about shifts in power.
I’ve been wracking my brain to try to recall any club making an early on-pitch success of moving stadiums. West Ham are the latest to come a cropper, for sure and maybe Chelsea will have the resources to overcome the usual curse but hard to imagine the upcoming upheaval doing Tottenham too many favours, in the early years, at least.
But of course, we wish them well.
Don’t we?
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Praise Tottenham?
Last day of April, you nearly had me fooled there Steww. Thanks, hope you have a day off tomorrow!
COYG!
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Monk on a washing machine?
That is a bit like Spurs winning the title.
Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha.
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United eh? Fucking illegal goal and cheating galore .
It’s bollocks and corrupt.
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Disgusting isn’t it
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They will stoop to new levels to get Utd in the top 4
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Thank you steww.
some small amount of justice given to the swans at the old toilet.
Chelsea struggling at half time at Goodison.
City a goal down at Boro.
Interesting times.
look’s like there is a crack in to door back into top 4 for Arsenal.
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MarkyB
exactly this.
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So United snaffle a draw due to a dive by Rashford. On 4/27 I posted on twitter “The confidence in United is misplaced. Without Zlatan, they will draw at least 2 of 5, easily lose 1 maybe 2. So could AFC to be fair.”
Win today and we are in with a serious chance of coming 3rd.
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I usually think Jonathan Liew is a bit of a snide fecker, but this piece is excellent. No WOB can understand it though.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2017/04/29/tottenham-remain-years-behind-arsenal-battle-north-london-supremacy/
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Oh thank you Calum!!
And thank you Steww! Now COYG!!!
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DC @ 3:09
Thanks for the link, and who could disagree with the content of that article?
I am a bit unsure about the Adidas deal, as Arsenal made a big announcement about the Puma deal back in 2013/14, and Puma are issuing a new away kit next season ( I think).
The announcement of the Adidas deal was made on the 1st April this year — so as that date has a link with spoofs, I am not sure if the new sponsorship deal is true.
I guess we will see eventually.
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1st Swansea and later Middleborough today were victims of bogus penalties, a timely reminder that I did the research and shared with you how the refs screw small clubs and AFC: https://positivelyarsenal.com/2017/01/30/a-206-increase-in-penalties-vs-afc-proves-bias/ …
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Hee hee hee….
Luck be a gooner
Hee hee hee…COYG!!!!!!!
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so how is Michael Oliver going to screw Arsenal over today
will it be dodgy spurs penalty,
unwarranted red card for Arsenal player
clear Arsenal penalty not given
spurs allowed kick lumps out of Arsenal
all of above
we have seen already twice today how the pgmol have affected the results of the two manachester teams games, what instructions will they have given Oliver
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THFC: Lloris (C), Trippier, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Davies, Dier, Wanyama, Son, Eriksen, Dele, Kane.
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Stop the chicken, stop the chicken, stop that chicken now!
COYG!
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17 mins!
I don’t under how that call goes against Xhaka.
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GoonerGordo @GoonerGordo 46s46 seconds ago
You’d think yer da English refs would like Xhaka, since he’s from Switzerland and they’re not in the EU.
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alli misses an open goal
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eriksen misses an open goal
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Frenetic few mins. Keep ya heads boys!
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ramsey with a poor shot
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Bookies taking 2-1 for Xhaka getting sent off
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Xhaka hobbling badly
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Ramsey with a good shot that lloris pushes around the post.
gibbs with a woeful shot
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ox with an awful cross
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xhaka with a poor headed clearance and cech has to make a good save
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HT: Spurs 0-0 Arsenal
second best for much of the half, spurs have missed two open goals, arsenal playing very much within themselves, final ball and shooting very poor so far. spurs speed on the break and through midfield is causing us problems. ox finding it tough at right wing back.
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downright pathetic defending and allie makes it 1-0 to spurs, far too tentative
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oliver give kane a penalty for a great dive, gabriel should have defended better
kane scores to make 2-0 to spurs
cech still to save a penalty for afc
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75 seconds between first goal and the penalty being awarded.
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Poor tackle, but also a dive. They always get pens against us
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You can do your “when we concede one goal we concede another one shortly after etc ” post Eddy
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Half hour to go here – get one back and we are still firmly in the contest for all the points
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we are not even showing a sign of making a comeback
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well anicol you can deny it all you like but it is a problem we have, once we concede one we often very quickly concede another.
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danny mills who is no lover of Arsenal says it was clear dive by kane for the penalty. I’m very inclined to agree
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Theo ?!?!
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