Good morning Positivistas,
That was much much more like it. Football reared its lovely head across a wet North London Saturday afternoon. The players, all of them in fact, delivered the fans 90 minutes of entertainment, and a comfortable three point win.
I have to admit a cloak of trepidation swaddled the Arsenal faithful on the way to the ground, after recent on pitch disappointments and off pitch shenanigans. It was understandable with January so far having been a month of one-step forward, two-steps back. Palace came into the game on good run of form, over their past dozen Premier League games their only recent defeat to us and points take off Citeh and beating Chelsea.
Looking at the line up I sensed Arsene decided that that is was a key game in our season, and it as the best 11 who were available on the pitch, never mind future games or player “fatigue”. Elneny coming also gave us more energy in the centre of the park and freed Jack to rove forward. A fit again Ozil will always add quality to our movement and attaching threat. To start for what seems the first time this year (? maybe longer) with Nacho, Kosc and Mustafi gave us a more confident base from which to build.
And so it proved. It was a dream opening, no other word for it. After weeks of frustration with us struggling to create chances and thwarted by good goalkeepers when we did the Palace gates opened and we streamed in. 6 Nacho, 10 Iwobi, 13 Kosc and finally, our long suffering strokers, 22 Alexander Lacazette. Did you see him smile after the goal ?
It has been a while since he has enjoyed the grinning feeling, so to speak.
And CORNERS eh ? Who said we cant take corners ! Pffft.
I read somewhere it is four years since a team has been 4-0 in the PL in 20 minutes ( yes it was THAT game). And none of the goals were breakaways, none were lucky deflections, OGs or glaring defensive errors from Palace. It was good Arsenal football, crisp finishing and thoroughly deserved.
The second part of the match ? Clearly 4-0 up we slowed a little and consolidated our hold on the game. Hodgson appears to have done a fair job in rousing his lads at half time to ensure they did not end up totally thrashed and the visitors came out with a lot more purpose. Apart from the goal they eventually did get Palace had another couple of chances that Cech dealt with well. Zaha had an ‘interesting’ afternoon. The referee Kavanagh who I think was making his PL whistling debut had obviously read upon young Wilfried and gave him absolutely nothing, despite the full repertoire of theatrical tumbling and heart rending moaning from the Ivorian. Good.
With 15 minutes to go we wound down the game, packed the picnic away and headed for the car park. The job was done. And thoughts turned to the next fixture that kicks off on Wednesday !
(If he plays his cards right he may get a selfie opportunity next time).
Enjoy Sunday.
Positively Arsenal 
Mkhi …the nu Hleb? (℅ Specs @ ArseFanTV).
Both good with both feet, fast, hi IQ, unselfish, high assist rate, team players BUT Hleb was lame @ goal scoring….Mkhi is the better player.
Give him the #7.
Aubameyang is rhythmically so much like Thierry Henry. I just re-watched his youtube vids and he would look good in TH’s #14. Get him in, re-up Ozil & Jack…and our next super team is in place.
AW will have made all the hacks look so daft once AGAIN! BUt you know how the envious brain-dead always come back for more. They’ll find new holes to dig and reboot their mercenary campaign against the greatest manager of the greatest club England has ever had. It will all come to naught!
I tip Le Prof to get another 2 years after next season so he can go all out to try to win whatever has not been won so far.
Then he will retire.
And to the whole getting a DM & a CB issue. Its basic football 101. He could easily have stuck to the old formula but with the decade of financial limitations & spanish domination of world football, he elected to set up his teams differential and rely on youth +1-4 experienced magicians, while remaining loyal to his charges but it didn’t pan out primarily because the sugar daddies got involved, splashing cash all over every aspect of the game. His decisions speak of a man with more courage than most of his peers but the Alexis saga is probably the last time he will allow himself be doubted.
Wengerball 4.0 began when Sven Mislintat & Raul Sanillehi were hired.
The world will come to know.
Oh, and about the DM position, come summer…
Oriol Romeu
Yeah, I said it. Again.
RASERS!
LikeLiked by 5 people
Nice one Anicoll. Brief and on point just like yesterday’s 23 minutes.
On to wednesday indeed.
A cup final’s the perfect welcome for the incoming.
WB 4.0 RULES!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dont know why i have a feeling thay Mikhitarian will be a success at Arsenal.
As we need another playmaker after Santi injury Mikhitarian will be a perfect fit for our team. Will relieve some burden off ozils shoulders as well.
Though Sanchez is a world class player but i suspect he is on a downward spiral after Chile below par performances at the Wc qualifiers. And with Maureens defensive minded approach he may not thrive at Manu.
so win win situation for our club.
is Auba coming as well?
LikeLike
its Mkhitayran’s birthday today, couldn’t get a better birthday present than joining The Arsenal
LikeLiked by 2 people
Yesterday was a good day. Excellent win, and bonus youth cup win for u18’s.
(As often, the club photographer’s pics show the lads on end of various desperate lunges or with someone always pulling their shirts, so suspect they had to work very hard for it up at Anfield. Well done them)
Saw some highlights of the big game, and some of second half, so missed a lot of the fun.
Am I right in thinking Kos looked sharper than for quite a while before the spell out? There was a brilliant challenge, high up pitch by right touchline, that looked like someone relishing feeling good again.
Enjoyable to see Jack notch up another game looking fit and well. I won’t lose that enjoyment for some time yet.
LikeLiked by 1 person
so we are getting Mkhitaryan, and Dortmund say we have bid for Aubameyang, so I ask, where are we going to put them, who from yesterday loses their place, and lets not forget we have Ramsey to add in too.
if mkhitaryan gets the wide left spot, will aubameyang coming in see our top scorer lacazette dropped. or are we going to see a change of formation, with 2 up front, with one of Ramsey, Jack, Xhaka missing out in CM.
anicol you mention the big smile from Lacazette after he scored, but did you notice that he kissed and hugged Ozil for a long time, maybe even a tad too long
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thought Mustafi was top notch yesterday, that little diving header to divert the ball past the waiting CP attacker was brilliant, his tackling was great too.
We seen a new ref yesterday, and although I thought he let a little bit too much go, late tackles, leaving the foot in etc, I did like that he did not award freekicks just cos the player flopped with great technique or screamed like a little bitch (zaha springs to mind). he possibly missed a penalty to both teams. But I must also commend him in being even handed, it took the Arsenal players a little while to realize that they too could tackle hard and get stuck in and would be treated the same as the Palace players, something that does not normally happen. I can see the PGMOL having a word with him about “game management” and how it does not apply to AFC players.
LikeLiked by 2 people
A great win at a time we needed football and more specifically Wengerball.
We still made a few of the same errors, two players challenging for the same ball, playing the ball to defenders in trouble, not coming out for the first ten minutes of the second half etc however they were very small and the fantastic,mesmerismic sublime football we did play more than made up for it.
Elneny was always on the move and always available and his energy allowed Xhaka and Jack to fire much further forward and this in turn meant the full backs were free to pile forward as well. Laca and Iwobi worked hard and were a handful on their own but when you include Mezut, oh Mezut how beautiful he drifts and glides around the pitch as if he’s on skates and I can understand the palace players standing and watching him play so much.
Nacho obviously deserves a special mention a goal, two assists and involved in the build up for the oh so special forth is not a bad return for thirty minutrs work and i will certainly be glad if he is ok for Wednesday whether we play 3 or 4 at the back.
LikeLiked by 3 people
The Mkhitaryan signing has not been even announced yet, but it has not stopped the manc loving media already doing a hatchet job on him, from crying at the idea of joining AFC, to him not being actually wanted by Arsenal, no we wanted Martial, or Smalling or now they say Luke Shaw. Suppose when he does sign, he will be referred to as a Man U reject or Man U failure.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Ed, I’d bet on us having a great record with refs doing their earliest games with us.
Big part of that is that they’ll always be against lesser opposition, but I still think the record will be way better than when the old pro’s do same type of games for us.
The tricks to break momentum, and get under the skin by letting them use extra aggression while punishing contact from us, probably the main thing they lack in the early stages. Still, got his pen call right!
I remember really liking my early sightings of Taylor in prem, then that Villa game!
As for Zaha, what the hell is wrong with that guy? Wonderful talent but the bullshit is incessant with him.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Daily Fail doing an expose on Alexis, all sensationalist nonsense about him offering a young woman money for sex, “behind his girlfriends back”, they must be so pissed that he is joining utd, as we know how they love a dig at AFC
LikeLiked by 1 person
Quite funny how Xhaka can, say, play well in 7 or 8 games of ten, one mixed, one poor, and they ignore the good while fixating on and magnifying any bad, and therefore deem him a bad player…while young Ox can have a couple of good games (as he did for us numerous times) and suddenly have made some great leap forward as a player.
Same applies to any of ours and their good/bad game ratio and how that translates into their overall ability and performance levels.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Sounds like an excellent performance, football is enjoyable again! Strange what happens when key players are in the side, sounds like Ozil and Jack ran things
On another note, another malcontent darling has been sacked, strange, we don’t know what goes on behind scenes, but thought the Watford manager was doing a decent job. Still, another post for the LMA dinosaur money-go-round should Watford choose to avail.
Know the critics would say to a fault, but thankful our owner and board are not complete knee jerkists like so many clubs
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hey Anicoll what about our prematch drink and my search for a decent burger?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Before social media ,I could only annoy a few people.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Wonderful stuff Andy Nic and glad to see the side back on song the moment your touchline ban was lifted. Somebody clever said yesterday that Ozil and Ramsey had formed a great partnership a few seasons ago (they did) but would I be right in thinking that one way and another Jack and Ozil have not had much game time together. The three of them could prove something special.
LikeLiked by 1 person
suppose Mark Hughes is the likely lad for Watford
LikeLiked by 1 person
foreverheady, the question is where or how can we fit them all into the same team, Jack, Rambo, Ozil, Mkhitaryan(when we get him), Lacazette, and if we get Aubameyang too.
For me we would certainly have to go to 4 at the back to have any change of fitting most if not all of them into the same team.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi, Anicoll,
A good summary of yesterday’s events at the Ems.
A fantastic, and for me, a rather unexpected performance and result, given the climate of dejection at the thought of Alexis leaving us for the covetous clutches of Maureen.
With something like our top defenders back after various injury problems, the defence looks much more secure, despite an unexpected wobble near the end when we were closing up shop.
Again, the return of our now top player, Mesut, and his wonderful linking up with Jack and La Caz soon returned us to the level where we could have beaten anyone yesterday.
Hopefully the latest rumours of our acquiring MkHit in the swap for Sanchez, and with fingers crossed for a successful attempt to buy Auba, we will show a different face to the the other clubs, and they will have to try and re-learn how to deal us with the new personnel one they are bedded in.
Next Wednesday’s game against Chelsea, with or without our new lads, will be really important (when is it ever not) as another Cup Final appearance will do very nicely – thank you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Eddie @ 12:53
Not to mention Welbz and Giro, altho the latter may go out in part exchange for Auba, and I suspect Welbz may be transferred out in the summer because of his chronic injury problems.
LikeLiked by 1 person
don’t think Mkhitaryan or any other new signing could play v CFC on Wednesday, isn’t there a rule that players must be registered before first leg if to play in second leg, just like a signing made after a drawn FA Cup game can not play in the replay.
LikeLike
Afternoon all – Re Koscielny and Shkodran and Nacho they fit together so well I think it is hugely important that they stay fit and are regularly able to play together. Defenders must must play alongside on another to develop that instinctive understanding of where they all fit together.
And Ozil and Laca in a Brokeback Arsenal couple eddy ? Well we are always breaking new ground
LikeLiked by 3 people
George – great chatter pre match – let’s do the Ethiopian next time !
LikeLiked by 1 person
Andy and George, me and Steve will be up for that one.
Ed, Watford as per usual have already got a new manager, you couldn’t write it could you. Oh yes you could they have big money owners
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m betting Sanchez parting gift will be a little treat for our haters, as he goes on about wanting trophies, ambition, work with Mou, Utd irresistible blah, blah. The dog inside him saying go for it. The little Portuguese turd might even make some suggestions for it.
Best ignored if that stuff irritates.
LikeLiked by 1 person
ian who have watford appointed
LikeLike
I have heard Sanchez say a word about his transfer and unlike the usual toys-out-the-pram approach of a footballer intent on changing clubs he has got on with his job Rich.
LikeLiked by 1 person
No doubt the media would have absolutely lapped it up and given it their customary twist of the knife but Alexis has been silent. Rather professional on his part I must say.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Eddy: I am not going to give Kavanaugh any props. Most of what he did yesterday is exactly what a proper ref is suppose to do. To paraphrase a slogan from the civil rights era: “Have we been down so long anywhere is up?”
He could have given Zaha a pen for the Elneny tackle in the 1st half and may have decided against because we all know Zaha is a diving git. But I cannot for the life of me see how he could not award the pen to Lacazette for that Tomkins tackle where he got none of the ball and took down the striker. Nobody is making an issue of it because we were already home and dried but this is the classic PGMOL refereeing. One cannot help but compare where Sterling gets his penalty for City after being pushed over in the box but Arsenal is denied something more clear cut. We need VAR, a VAR where the refs cannot manipulate and over-rule.
LikeLiked by 3 people
anicoll. Fair points. Maybe my Mourinho hatred got better of me.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Props to A5. Another of his pointed, focused game reports. Tip of the hat, sir.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Still feeling extremely doubtful about Aubameyandg talk.
In the crazy world of transfer fees, the mooted price still sounds too reasonable given Dortmund’s current position- neck and neck with another 3 or 4 for Cl- and his importance to team.
They have a quality forward in Yarmalenko, class in Goetze, Schurlle sporadically looks the part, then youngsters as forward options. He must make huge difference to their CL hopes this year.
Even 50 mill sounds like a figure we might reluctantly settle on as reasonable if ‘selling’ in the same situation; whereas for big transfers at the moment it feels like it’s always necessary to chuck another 10 or more million on top of whatever seems about right. As with Van Dijk for instance.
We’ll either have to rely on German outfits being at least a bit more sane than elsewhere, or him having left them truly exasperated of late. Fingers crossed.
LikeLike
well shotta sorry to break it to you, but any VAR in the BPL will be under the remit of the Ref, he will not only decide which incidents to refer to the VAR, but he can over rule the VAR. This is at the insistence of the PGMOL, just as they insisted that if a Ref books a player, or even sees an incident and takes no action, that regardless of what replays show, no further actions can be taken against the player, unless the Ref decides off his own back to review it and then decide he was wrong and so ask the FA to review it.
PGMOL insist that the Ref has supreme authority on all matters in a game. VAR or no Var.
This despite the VAR being a PGMOL ref, and also the assistant VAR being a PGMOL ref.
And you think things are going to change
LikeLiked by 2 people
Bild+ have published an article with photos of Gazidis and Mislintat in Dortmund for meeting over the signing of Aubameyang
LikeLiked by 1 person
LikeLiked by 1 person
LikeLiked by 1 person
Eddy: That’s the point exactly of my continuing expose of the PGMOL and their biased refereeing. VAR will not be a panacea cause The Powers That Be (POTB) want to retain control. But of course the mainstream media, which is owned and controlled by the very same POTB, maintain a deathly silence about PGMOL bias. Yet Lehman told the German press AFC is being screwed by Penalties-Against, Wenger accuses Dean of being dishonest, Jon Moss feels free to screw Arsenal over, all in the past two weeks.
While Wenger has his hands full trying to compete with clubs with seemingly bottomless resources and the PGMOL is used as the ultimate on-field weapon, our big bloggers and podcasters are just as silent as the mainstream media. Too many of us believe fairness will return to the PL by maintaining silence and hoping for the best.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Huss Fahmy is with Ivan Gazidis in Dortmund too.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Who are the Huss family?
LikeLike
Huss is bloke who negotiates the final details crosses the Ts and dots the Is the fact he is there is a good sign.
I know transfers are not done until they are done but the signals so far are good. If there is other player involvement then the deal will take longer
LikeLiked by 2 people
southampton 1-1 spurs
we are only 3pts behind them now
LikeLike
I only watched the final 15 minutes from St Mary’s but Kevin Friend gave a masterclass in dealing with the diving and cheating on Kane and Delle Ali – fucking hilarious.
LikeLiked by 1 person
did he book either of them for diving and cheating, if not, I’m unsure how it could be described as a masterclass
LikeLiked by 1 person
He did something even more radical and designed to wound the enormous ego of a young footballer
Friend ignored them.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Zaha had the same problem yesterday- no matter how often he hurled himself to the turf, no matter how many times he clutched this leg or the other Kavanagh just ignored him.
Zaha could have still been at it now and he still would not have got a free kick.
LikeLiked by 2 people
so the refs basically failed to their job and book divers and cheats, so the players are free to keep diving and cheating and then we will wonder how some other ref rewards their cheating and diving with a game winning penalty. nice
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s it – leave them lying on the rain soaked turf squealing their heads off.
Being ignored, being laughed at.
I’m sure they’ll get the message
LikeLiked by 2 people
Better if their watching from the sidelines for multiple bookings like bale was a few years back.
Just something on Kavenaugh from Saturday, there’s a fine line between letting the game flow and not protecting players.
Basically K ignored just about everything meaning by the end of the game there was alot of dogey fouls. Players from both sides were in danger of serious injury.
I am normally a fan of a ref that lets the game flow but a balance has to be struck and a talking to just doesn’t cut it
LikeLiked by 3 people
rumors that Giroud is part of the Aubameyang deal, he wants regular playing time to be sure of his World Cup place with France
LikeLiked by 1 person
Fine line it is Ian – players and managers can’t hage it both ways. If you want to be protected then don’t fall over screaming and clutching your knee/shin/face when you have had a light touch.
I am guilty myself – I was furious with Hector for putting the ball out when Cabaye was on the ground, assuming the bastard was cheating
And then he went off on a stretcher.
LikeLiked by 2 people