Bonjour Positive mesdames et messieurs,
Well that was a tricky obstacle well negotiated last night, I am sure you will agree.
The statistic was relentlessly pounded into my ear that we had not won at St Mary’s in a League game since 2003 by every pundit who could get a microphone before kick off. The statistic might have made a little more sense, though reduced the impact, if they had qualified Arsenal’s record by saying that between 2004/2005 and 2012/2013 the Saints were out of the Premier League so there was no question of us playing them anyway. Nobody mentioned it was the sports meeja’s darling ‘Onest ‘Arry who presided over Southampton’s relegation. I wonder why that was ?
Nevertheless since their return in 2012, and after a first drubbing at the Emirates, Southampton have been a bloody nuisance in recent seasons. Generally they play not in a nasty, in-your-face, they-don’t-like-it-up-’em sort of way but by beating us at football. Losing at football to the South coast side must frustrate Arsene as much as it irritates me. To their credit Southampton try to play football, and have an excellent supply line of young Academy players and a shrewd overseas recruitment policy. Each year their best players and their manager are poached in the summer window, but three months later the bounce back, a new man at the tiller and a new sets of youngsters and bargains ready to do battle. I admire tenacity.
Anyway enough of the love in with the opposition from me and on to the game.
The first half was OK although it took us 20 minutes to really get into the game and for our passing game to click into gear. I felt Danny was far too lonely early on. Perhaps a bit of tiredness after Sunday although we know at PA that the “slow start” is a trait that has followed us up and down the country, with no obvious pattern or trigger required. Fortunately Petr was on hand to deal with Southampton’s two goal scoring chances. His save just before half time from a Redmond shot in the top corner was absolutely top class, as good a save as I have seen him make ever.
Once we did get into gear however I never felt that we were in any difficulty or that the result of the game was in doubt. The quality of our passing in the final third was good and improving. Ozil, Ramsey, Granit and Sanchez were gradually playing the ball about faster and faster. At the back Mustafi, Holding and Nacho kept the Southampton attack at arms’ length. Even the perpetually annoying Shane Long could not ruffle them. The German defender I thought was excellent, considering it was his first game back. He had Mossy round his little finger. Shkodran has the eyes of a choirboy allied with the work-ethic of an assassin, the rogue. I was also massively pleased to see Hector have a good game. He has had a torrid time with injury and a drop off in his early season form. Like Samson however, with his haircut finally sorted out, our young Spaniard was back to his best last night.
One marvellous goal from Sanchez decided the contest and broke Saints. One further tidy finish from Giroud, again good to see him make his mark after waiting patiently for the chance.
The only negative on the evening ? A sad sight to see the Ox stagger off. I have everything crossed that it is a minor hamstring strain and he has the chance to quickly get back. If there is one player I want available in the next four games, even in front of our German wand wielder and our Chilean wizard, it is AOC.
Our Champions League qualifying place remains a possibility. Let us stretch our fingers out toward the prize together.
Enjoy Thursday.
Positively Arsenal 
Top stuff Andy, and a nice breezy step you have in todays review. Cheers!
COYG!
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Splendid write up on a job well done.
Very well done, actually, given it’s only been three days since a laborious thumping of The Pesky United. And now just two days rest before the traditionally awful Orcs.
An incredibly taxing end to a season if ever there was one although at least 2 of our remaining league fixtures are at home and Wembley is ‘like’ home to us (if, happily, not for next year’s residents, Spurs).
I, like many others had the unenviable option of following the game on Twitter as thanks to CL restrictions no broadcasting of the match was permitted on telly or radio, at least in the U.K.
So Andrew’s balanced write up is extra appreciated this morning – thank you.
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I was fortunate to have number 1 son on hand last night to negotiate the streams for me AA. Best stream I have watched from NBC ever. I shall send him round.
Had to put up with Prutton, talking bollocks and giggling about his 10 game ban for crippling Pires and pushing Alan Wiley, but even he shut up after Sanchez’s goal.
One question for our American readers though – who are the NBC studio pundits ? They are obviously so well know that they didn’t need to put their names on screen – unfortunately I had no clue of their identity!
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Yes, ask No 1 Son to pop down to Kent in future, I’ve never been able to get much streaming on Apple gear. I know Stew always recommends something which seems to work on PC but …
Kelly/Shotta will know all about the US pundits, I’ve no doubt. One has to assume that the people in charge of appointing pundits on both sides of the water know nothing about the game and that’s to everyone’s detriment as people simply switch off/mute/find streams elsewhere. At the moment, declining viewer numbers are met with instructions to the pundits to be ever more contentious and sound-bitey.
Someone may twig, eventually.
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In my opinion Andrew is the true rogue starting with the lass at the top and ending with a picture of his favorite player at the end. I can see him chuckling before posting. Did you have a drink with you my friend?
Excellent as always Andy. On the matter of tactics, I had the impression the team and Danny in particular were deliberately pacing themselves at the start. And it worked like a charm. We were the stronger team in the 2nd half.
One of the weaknessess of the 3-5-2-1 system is it usually leaves us outnumbered in the midfield during the 1st phase of the opponents build-up or on a counter. Danny has to constantly drop in-between the 2 to help. During the game I was like a Conte, shouting and waving at him via the tv to drop back and help Alexis and Ozil who are not the best defensive players in the world. When we go forward he tends to be isolated up top. Notice how The Ox crosses did not seriously threaten Forster and his defenders. In a way I was happy to see Bellerin replace the Ox as he doesn’t play the English game of lofting crosses into the mixer and tends to be more involved in the build-up and to do pull backs into the box when he advances to the by-line. The three at the back makes us more secure but I am of the view we are not a better offensive team. But needs must.
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AndyNic: The pundits on NBC are generally B-rated players from the Prem or had a career in Major League Soccer. The most distinguished imo is Robbie Earle who spent most of his career Wimbledon, that citadel-not of football on the ground (just like his former clubs Stoke and Port Vale). His disdain for Arsene’s philosophy of relying on technical players and playing it on the ground is palpable. He rotates with Robbie Mustoe and Kyle Martino. Mustoe had a career in the lower reaches of English football notably at Middlesbrough. His other clubs were Oxford United, Carlton Athletic and Sheffield Wednesday. Apparently during his playing career he never won a game vs Arsenal. You would think being a pundit he would have learnt a lesson from his career playing that “kick-and-rush” style of football. Martino’s career was entirely in the American system; college, Major League, Youth national team and twice fully capped international. His career in Europe was a trial was a trial with a club in the Eredivise and with Leeds United.
They are typical US pundits, good-looking and chatty; full of opinions which have no basis in reality. Last evening they were shedding crocodile tears that poor Arsenal has come so close and never challenge so Wenger has to go. No mention that it is Wenger, who kept Arsenal in the top-3 despite the financial disparity with 3 other moneyed clubs; two of whom had spent close to a £1 billion of non-football money to buy the PL title and champions league.
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The old fart’s thoughts.
A fine review Andy which made waking up this morning an even happier experience.
Another clean sheet with big kudos to Petr’s athleticism in the first half when we didn’t do much to worry his counterpart. I did have a worry, first with Ox’s injury and then about Moss and his henchman on the far side.They seemed to ignore a couple of off-sides but we gradually took control of officials and Saints and by the start of the second half, we were getting back to our best. Shkrodan, Granit and young Hector very solid but Rambo and Nacho really shining. It took a while but the first goal was really well worth waiting for. Granit and Ox with a one, two giving Alexis the chance to show wonderful skill sending two defenders East, whilst he turned West and giving Forster no chance. Beautiful goal.
Danny had done a lot of hard running and a couple of clever passes came close to leading to other goals so it must have been a bit frustrating for him to be subbed and then watch Olly have a simple header after more good work from Alexis and Rambo whose cushioned header laid it on the plate. Again lovely stuff.
Can we go to Stoke and repeat this? If we can play like this again, most certainly. Keep the faith.
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Martino and Mustoe – looked up their pics and they were the ones – you’re right – they’re crap.
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Apologies for pointing out the 2003 statistic in yesteday’s preview. For one thing I had no idea it would annoy you so much and for another I had no idea everyone else also mentioned it as I don’t read or listen to pundits. If such things really make you angry might I suggest you are living a very fortunate if not sheltered existence
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I hear your words and shall take them on board Stew !
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I quite like this feeling of happiness…..
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Corruption in Irish football. Chinese investors, Asian betting rings, dodgy Portuguese players and coaches. Check it out:
http://www.atimes.com/article/athlone-town-soccer-scandal-shows-no-game-small-rig/
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I remember posting on these pages something about Chinese money taking over English football. One of my blogs was about the takeover of both Madrid clubs by the Chinese who are forced to play at time slots favorable to Chinese viewers.
Fins and I have discussed how the PL is just being used as a conduit for foreign capital to reap the riches of the PL. It seems the fit and proper test has gone the way of the horse and buggy. West Bromwich Albion, Aston Villa, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Birmingham City were all sold to Chinese investors. They also have stakes in City & Everton. Now they are about to takeover Southampton. Is anybody concerned this will make English clubs even more susceptible to money laundering and Asian betting rings? I have yet to see any concern expressed by the English mainstream media, twitter, etc.
For details link to http://www.atimes.com/article/swiss-saints-sino-sinners-chinas-soccer-shadow-play/
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Great review Andy,
I have to mention one of the most obvious hand balls I’ve seen so much so the saints player could of been done for travelling. Of course both ref and Lino missed it even though they were in close proximity. I watched the NBC stream as well a they explained it wasn’t a free kick as the ARSENAL players didn’t appeal, a rule I wasn’t aware of .
All joking aside that was a great win in difficult circumstances against a difficult side.
The orcs are going to produce another difficult game but if we keep the ball moving quickly and mix our style up like we did last night we should be alright.
Aaron’s assist was typical of the positions he’s been getting into latley and is affecting games more and more.
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Shotts re:Crawley Town.
There won’t be a story. It never happened…
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The City of London is the biggest money laundering centre on the planet Shotts – why would the Chinese buying English football clubs, or US or Uzbekis or Iranians or Thais or Scotsmen for that matter, alter that ?
WBA was on the market for 2-3 years – if anyone thought it was worth buying other than the Chinese owners they kept very quiet about it.
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Perhaps some just want to join the club (via a football club)?
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approx. 50% of the FIF content by the admittedly highly strung yet highly intelligent author are about West Brom Bet365 (something like that), specifically they are about the owner.
The kind of owner the chaps who once tried to get involved with Crawley Town aspire to be like? The Crawley crew were more successful at the top level of the sport of cricket by it looks like they hit a glass ceiling in football?
If in doubt, follow your nose?
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Don’t know about you lot but if I owned a football club, a betting company and someone constantly accused me of being up to no good, wouldn’t you take them to court? In a sport where women are put in jail for wearing the wrong t-shirts?
Funnily enough that t-short story vaguely links in to the aforementioned “credible plundit” Robbie Earle, which is why you no longer see him on broadcasts inside the UK.
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AndyNic: You are right about the City of London. It is the financial capital of Europe for many reasons, one of which is its cavalier oversight of the source of the money sloshing through the banks and investment houses. The City has no intention of losing its advantages over Frankfurt, Brexit or not. The Chinese are fully aware of it. Most of this money is coming via Hong Kong. What better way to take capital out of the mainland. Btw: despite the current Russophobia did London (or Washington for that matter) put sanctions on Abramovich, Usmanov etc with their massive investments in London?
PS: If the Chinese get their hands on Southampton they will cease being a selling club. Poor Liverpool and us to a lesser extent.
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There has been extensive reporting of the potential criminal money laundering in the media in GB.
Here is an example of an article carried in the Guardian in 2009.
— Criminals are increasingly using football for money laundering and tax evasion, helped by the globalisation of the sport and financial needs of clubs, an anti-corruption body said today.
The world’s most popular sport is attracting criminals with its huge cross-border money transfers and often obscure accounting methods, a unit of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development said.
“Football clubs are indeed seen by criminals as the perfect vehicles for money laundering,” the OECD’s Financial Action Task Force said.
While other sports such as cricket, rugby, horse racing or motor racing were also under threat, football was “an obvious candidate to examine money laundering through sport” because it dwarfed all the others in its global scale.
In one case, the report said, investigators thwarted an attempt to launder money through the purchase of a famous Italian club with funds supplied by a criminal association operating in central Italy.
“Proceedings for money laundering, insider trading, extortion, unfair competition and other offences are ongoing,” it said, without naming the club.
Based on 20 cases of money laundering in football, the report concluded that the structure, financing and culture of the sport are all conducive to financial crimes. It cited two examples of tax evasion involving players in Britain, one linked to image rights and the other to a signing-on fee that was hidden from tax authorities.
Boosted by lucrative television rights, the amount of money in the game has exploded, turning venerable clubs into massive business enterprises. The heady sums paid for top players reached new heights last month when Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo completed a record £80m transfer to Real Madrid.
Despite the sport’s scale, with 38 million registered players worldwide, and five million referees and officials, many clubs are managed by amateurs and can easily be acquired by dubious investors, the report said.
Massive money flows that move in and out of tax havens, huge and irrational transfer payments, inflated agent fees and betting networks can all help criminals trying to pass off their illicit gains as legal.
The sport’s image also plays a role. Clubs are less likely to report money laundering for fear of losing sponsors, while criminals may use ownership of a club to forge legal business ties and win lucrative construction contracts.
The report cites several examples of clubs in financial difficulties whose deficits were funded by suspected criminals.
Investors may get their “laundered” funds back by selling the club’s equipment and services at inflated prices, or via sales of media rights, tickets, players and merchandise.
Global transfers of young football players can also attract human traffickers, the report said. The task force recommends building better awareness and improving governance and financial transparency. End.
In 2006, and again in 2015, the BBC reported on warnings from then FIFA President, Sepp Blatter, of the dangers of corruption including money laundering worldwide, and an investigation into various issues in several countries. [A little ironic, in the circumstances]
If blogsites are arguably part of the media’ — Untold Arsenal had an extensive and interesting article on this subject focusing on the problems some years ago at Portsmouth’
HMRC are known to take a serious view on any criminal acts such as this, but I am unaware of any cases against PL clubs.
This is a longstanding and widespread worldwide problem by its very nature, because of the reach of football, and not confined to the UK.
I hope this helps.
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Ha, Ha, Ha. Blatter warning against corruption. That really cracked me up. As many of us are mature enough to have learned over the years, the arsonist is the first to cry fire, fire. The Guardian and the BBC have to my knowledge done fuck all except the occasional piece.
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ArsenalAndrew: Who or what is FIF?
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Like arms trading Shotts the argument is that if the City was not offering good quality and discreet money laundering services to the global market then the opposition in Frankfurt, Zurich and Paris would be nicking the business.
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AndyNic @ 6:30pm
Yup. That is why the FA should act on behalf of its constituents, the hundreds of football clubs all over England, not acquiese to the financial elite who are into owning football clubs as a financial vehicle. But that horse has already left the gate. Pity.
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Great thread
–
Shotts I sent the links to you, not sure about some of that stuff myself and I don’t want to bore anyone else!
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HMRC were not impressed with the remains of Rangers FC that they found buried beneath expert plundit Souness’ pension scheme, In a ditch somewhere north of the wall.
the obvious candidates at West Ham (the chuckle bruvvers) as per the news this week could be the unlikely start of their trawl through the PL.
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Thanks Fins. I’ll trawl through them after I watch United vs Celto. Mourinho is taking a great risk putting all his eggs in the Europa basket. This could blow up at home or in the finals vs Ajax. Ajax can score goals, United can’t.
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shard put up a link to a talk dick law done in brazil, david dein was there too. the wob and malcontents should watch it, they might just find out what law does, and how not only arsenal are run but most other clubs too, and what a dof does, and in fact how law and gazidis and wenger’s roles at afc and how it works, and how the same thing worked for man utd under sir red nose.
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Eddy
Could find that link from Shard? I would appreciate checking it out. Thanks
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its near the end of the last thread comments
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couple of points,
law was described as Arsenal’s director of football
law said he, Gazidis and Wenger work closely together on the football side of things, contracts, signings, ets
Arsenal’s working model is same as man utd’s under sir red nose
law said Real Madrid have no DoF and are unique in this respect
Dein said BPL was set up by five clubs – Arsenal, spurs, man utd, everton and liverpool
under bpl rules clubs can only increase spending by £4M per year
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and also that like sir red nose at utd, Wenger is a non voting member of the board, so attends board meetings, putting a bit of a spike into Ian Wrights claims that Wenger has not met Stan Kroenke more than two times.
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anyone notice last night, following on from ozil patting the arsenal badge in response to spurs fans taunts in the nld, that after he scored our opener Alexis patted the arsenal badge.
they’re staying I tell you, they’re staying
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afcstuff @afcstuff 9h9 hours ago
Most away goals in a season for #afc:
Alexis 17 (current)
Henry 17 (02/03)
Wright 16 (96/97)
Van Persie 15 (11/12)
Adebayor 15 (07/08)
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eduardo
Just to add. There was a book released by an ex agent, improbably named John Smith as I recall, who had worked with Arsenal over the years. He said much the same thing about there being a team at Arsenal who assist Wenger in making transfer decisions. He referred to Dick Law as a DoF or equivalent too.
As for the 4m pound rule, that is only restricted on wages, and that too only from the TV money. If a club adds sponsors or sells more tickets/merchandise then they can use that money as well. All it means in practice is that you give bigger signing on fees to players (and agents) and lower the weekly wage component. A bit of a farce, but for self sustaining clubs, front loading payments can be an issue I suppose.
There is also a wage bill threshold where this applies. Clubs spending below that, such as promoted clubs, can exceed the 4m in added wages. (Threshold keeps changing annually, don’t know what it is now)
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Yup, Zenit St Petersburg Chelsea transfers all above board. Absolutely nothing untoward in any of the transactions.
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typical of how ex liverpool players support and back their old club, wright, merson and co could learn a thing or two from them about loyalty.
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Team news: Latest on Koscielny and Ox
Arsène Wenger has provided the latest team news update ahead of Saturday’s game against Stoke City at the Bet365 Stadium.
The Arsenal manager revealed his assessment of Laurent Koscielny and Alex Oxalde-Chamberlain’s condition, saying:
on whether Koscielny has a chance after picking up calf issue against Man Utd match…He’s got a small chance. He was not far. He practised on Tuesday but it was risky to play him at Southampton.
on the Ox’s injury…
It’s a minor hamstring problem. It was tight, but it was more fatigue.
Copyright 2017 The Arsenal Football Club plc. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit being given to http://www.arsenal.com as the source
Read more at http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/20170511/team-news-latest-on-koscielny-the-ox#p73D3fHiCfAM8EgI.99
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i love how ronald koeman is acting like he actually has the power in the contract wrangle with ross barkley, he is all sign by next week or we sell you, someone needs to remind him that everton can agree a fee with as many clubs as they like, but no one can make barkley sign for any club he does not want to.
If everton sit him out next season, then it actually opens the way for him to buy out his contract, which is just his wages.
barkley will leave everton on his terms, and no amount of posturing by koeman will change that.
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Shard,
A.I.S.A. had John Smith along to speak at one of their events and he was very interesting. His book is called “The Deal”. He said because of ARSENAL’S reliance on data warehouses their initial chase of a player can be slow but once they have identified a target they are as quick as other sides even quicker if they know the big spenders are sniffing around their players.
He also spoke very highly of Arsene and Ivan which didn’t go down well with some of the AST members in the audience.
He also said because ARSENAL like to play a straight bat they work with HMRC to make sure inducements are legal and were aware of Rangers problems long before they were raided.
John Smith was one of the first Super agents and was there at the start of the PL and said David Dein was one of the prime movers for the breakaway euro league which in the end never materialised.
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Thanks to Shard for link to the presentations by Dick Law and David Dean and to Eduardo for raising it again. It was highly informative.
I learned much and understand even more how pathetic some of our fan base can be. They have been peddling myths for so long about how Arsenal is managed. Will this video link change that? Will Robbie of AFan TV revisit and correct his recent piece about Arsene needing to relinquish power? I hope so.
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Ianspace
“He also spoke very highly of Arsene and Ivan which didn’t go down well with some of the AST members in the audience.”
This says so much. They don’t want to hear anything positive about Wenger anymore. They have their narrative, which has proven to be erroneous in so many ways, but want to stick with it. That is about as arrogant as one can be.
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ian in that link from shard, dick law said Arsenal have a whole section that works to make sure all deals, contracts and transactions are fully legal and compliant.
After the George Graham bung, Arsenal set up a system where every deal was checked out fully.
Law pointing out that Real Madrid who are going for their second CL in a row, and for the la liga title, do not have a Director of Football. Manager and board member take care of the transfers.
The laughable thing is that those who now like the soundbite – Dick Law what do you do – used to say the same thing for Ivan Gazidis. It seems that their ignorance of the inner workings of a big business makes them believe that they have a right to know. Odd thing is, that no matter how often they are told what the duties ivan and dick carry out, they still don’t understand it.
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jon smith also said that “Arsenal’s word was their bond”, that once they even verbally agreed a deal, that club, player, agent, had no worries what so ever, Arsenal did not try and alter any part of it. So odd that so many of those at the AST that he told this to, still pedal shit like Arsenal dither and back out of deals all the time.
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Arsenal: a club with dignity and class. Long may it last.
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ianspace and eduardo
It is things like this that make a club worth supporting. So proud to be an Arsenal fan.
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Ben DinneryVerified account @BenDinnery 5h5 hours ago
Howe confirms Jack Wilshere has returned to Arsenal to “continue his recovery work” after fracturing his fibula against Tottenham. #AFCB
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an article about the dick law event
http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2896/premier-league/2017/05/10/35381122/wenger-has-strong-support-from-fans-arsenals-transfer-fixer?ICID=HP_BN_1
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