An Arsenal performance that has the media purring but with their usual caveat thrown in
The football played by Arsenal tonight was sumptuous, Wengerball at its finest, the movement, the freedom, the flow, the tempo, Ozil the conductor, Ramsey the lighting rod, Lacazette and Mkhitaryan the support act, and Xhaka on top of his game too, midfield and attack showing Wenger’s vision of how the fans should be entertained.
It was so good that it had the media, pundits, whingebag fans scurrying around for something to suck the joy from the night. Wait, whats that, CSKA scored a goal, oh goodie, bound to be something there. Of course with all goals there is always something that can be blamed upon the conceding team, the Golovin goal was as good a freekick as you will see in a very long time (should that be game), it was up over the wall, back down just enough to go into the postage stamp. Can we blame Cech, no, not on a goal like that, two keepers would have found it hard to stop it. What about the freekick itself or the build up to it. Bingo, the angle in there. Its said that on average six mistakes are made on every goal scored. Well Arsenal made 3 obvious mistakes on this one, 1. Mustafi hooked the ball back towards the middle of his area, on edge of the area, then 2. Xhaka hoofed the ball up in the air, and 3. Koscielny charged out to try and win the high ball only to be called for a bit of a barge on Golovin.
so to summarise, Arsenal banged in 4 goals, the Ramsey one a worldie, a goal of the season contender in fact, the build up on all our goals was Wengerball at its best, Ozil was supreme, our returning striker got 2, Ramsey got 2 and its no joke to say that with a bit of luck he would have had 6. We cocked up a bit on their goal, but the tie looks fairly securely in our favour. But much of the Arsenal blogs, the media, the football pundits, are dwelling on the one goal out of five that we did not score. Narratives to be adhered to it seems. You know, the old “a better team would have”. Never mind that tonight the better team did.
Positively Arsenal 
No Idea. Was expecting to see (Pen) after at least one of the goals
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I see the twitter mob are ‘Fuming’ at Mickhi’s Injury as though it is somehow someone at the clubs fault, unbelievable morons.
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People say Welbeck Can’t finish but when was the last time he scored to knock his own team out of a European competition?
Such a shame that Kane from Middlesex could only manage to score in the wrong net against the team from Flemish Kent.
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The old Gent behind me shouted Red Card at that late late and bitter and very hard hack on Miki (not like any foul you’ve seen from Xhaka to date I think), and my friend sat next to me thought Miki was playing for time!
The wiser and older soul was correct on that call (as they usually are!).
Raiola can’t have been happy!
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Seriously it’s a joke the number of players of ours that get assaulted so badly
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We don’t know the full extent of Miki’s knee injury yet, but with our luck I fear the worst.
Curse the gods of football, we had an injury-free squad for what, one day??
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Utd’ football the last several seasons puts that 1970s Ajax team in the shade.
But remember remember:
Boring Boring Arsenal
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Someone I greatly respect once told me I should be a PR Expert (self declared of course). They said I had the eye for it.
I replied that they must have mistaken me for someone else.
Boring. Extremely boring. Arsenal.
Is anyone else bored by the constant attack by the frothing hacks and blaggers on the Arsenal?
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Mourinho moved his CF wide to good effect this half?
This kind of madness is all down to that Bloody Vengarrrgghhh, what is he doing!
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Terrible defending from the Champions elect?
Does even this team miss key players when they are out? Are the flagging in the second half of a big game after a big midweek game where there opponents were preparing for this fixture? Mmmmm…
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Report – Olayinka scores and five schoolboys feature as Arsenal U18s lose to Leicester
by jeorge bird
U18 Premier League
Arsenal 1 (Olayinka 60) Leicester 3 (Tee 36, Shade 57, Leshabela (pen) 71)
James Olayinka was on the scoresheet but a depleted Arsenal U18s side were beaten 3-1 at home by Leicester City today.
The young Gunners were without several players who featured for the U23s in their draw against Liverpool yesterday.
Coach Kwame Ampadu gave starts to schoolboys Armstrong Okoflex and Miguel Azeez, while Josh Martin, Matthew Dennis and Alfie Matthews were all on the bench.
Barden
Clarke-Spencer Adams-McGuinness-Thompson
Olayinka-Swanson
Beckford-Azeez-Saka
Okoflex
Subs: M. Smith (for Swanson, 40), Martin (for Olayinka, 74), Dennis (for Saka, 83). Not used: Okonkwo, Matthews.
Leicester were the better side in the first half and took the lead in the 36th minute courtesy of Jacob Tee.
Arsenal sought to respond, throwing on Matthew Smith, who trained with the first-team earlier in the day, but Leicester continued to impress and doubled their advantage in the second period, with Tyrese Shade’s effort getting the better of Daniel Barden.
Ampadu’s team eventually mustered a response, with Bukayo Saka finding Olayinka, who finished well, but Leicester went on to make it 3-1 when Thakgalo Leshabela scored a penalty.
Arsenal’s slim title hopes are effectively over, given that they are twelve points behind leaders Chelsea even though they do have a game in hand.
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I see Ben Wilmott of Stevenage was left out of their match day squad as he is close to joining a BPL club. The 18 year old defender has played 15 games for Stevenage this season, and 3 BPL clubs had bids of around half a million turned down in January. Spurs and Watford and an unnamed club.
Arsenal were said by the media to be the other club, as they had their scouts watching the England U19 player on a regular basis this season. The lad is 6ft 2in, but is said to be a ball playing defender. Will be interesting to see which BPL club he is joining.
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I got the sense that City beating ManU was not in the script today.
Not that City played well in the second half. They didn’t. But we’ve been here with Arsenal before. Everyone just piles on to the team for not being perfect, ignoring the effect of calls big and small, on the game.
Now apparently they’ve delayed the trophy hoisting by 2 (or more?) weeks. Can’t have the tough English league officially sewn up as quickly as the Bundesliga, and earlier than France, Spain and Italy.
That won’t help the brand.
Nor will it help to show ManU, and their millions and their own chequebook ways and manager, to be embarrassed. I expect similar against Spurs.
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Heard the match commentator say that Martin Atkinson was using his vast experience to keep a lid on things and for a genuine moment thought he was going to say “his vast experience to help United over the line”.
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not first time Martin Atkinson has ignored a clear cut penalty v man utd
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Young Pep should’ve held back on Raiola and the other super agents he referred to (who have more influence in Football then 99% of all clubs) till next week.
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We [Rai Sport] spoke with Marotta a few hours ago and he authorised us to release this statement: “Marotta denies all the reports of the last few days and affirms Massimiliano Allegri will 100 per cent be the Juventus Coach next season.”
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Nelson, Nketiah, Willock, Mavropanos, Macey, Iliev and 17 year old Matt Smith trained with first team today. Ramsey was rested.
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Football – wahaaaaay – extraordinary game at the Etihad – Never ever give up.
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The relentless slagging Pogba, Sanchez and Smalling were picking up in the first 45 would have impressed our Scarfists
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Michael Keshani
@MichaelKeshani
Phenomenal Mike Riley tribute from Atkinson today. Nothing compared to the real thing, of course, but he’s given everything for it.
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Swiss Ramble
@SwissRamble
And that’s a good example of why there will be no English refs at the World Cup.
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There will be no British*, or Irish, referees or assistant referees at the World Cup Fins
Even Putin baulked at the rates.
*English (laughs loudly)
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Just been watching MOTD , and been told Harry Kane is honest, about six times.
So despite the evidence , he doesn’t dive, cheat, comit murder, adultery, tell porkies, do things Aus cricketers do, evade, or avoid tax, or do anything else that is not squeaky clean. because he is honest, we have been told so.
Harry Kane is Honest, whereas Danny Welbeck is not.
Pity Ericksen Denied a goal though
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Brilliant post by Heady. “Atkinson helping United over the line.” Give Heady a damn medal.
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New post is up
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