Good morning Positives,
A game nine and a half out of ten of us had marked down for three points but, as it turned out, a game I was happy to escape from with the solitary single point as reward. The unbeaten run goes on, and we remain in the chasing pack for he CL places, but an unexpected and unwelcome slip. Three points from the previous nine PL points on offer, and now three points behind our North London neighbours. Plenty of time and games to improve and return to winning games, but a check to our confidence certainly. That we stagger into yet another international break is, for once, a welcome interlude in which Emery can get to work on the training pitch and iron out the ‘kinks’.
Of the game itself a sluggish first half, even among Arsenal’s sometimes slow starts with no urgency in our movement, and little accuracy in our passing. Wolves game-plan as superior to ours, when they advanced over the half way line they looked threatening and we never did. Having rattled us the duly took a deserved lead.
A better second half and a far, far better last 20 minutes when the kitchen sink was duly flung at the obdurate opponents. But for some dreadful marksmanship from Auba the equaliser should have come earlier but, eventually, Mkhi forced in the goal, scruffy, lucky even, but fair recompense from a lot of sweat from our lads. The visitors retained a sharpness that but for Leno would have embarrassed us further but Atwell eventually blew his whistle, thank Gawd.
No contest for the MotM so well done Bernd. If MotM was a podium ceremony you’d probably have been on your own.
We shall rise, we shall be better, we shall smash Tottingham. Know this.
Enjoy your week.
Positively Arsenal 
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/nov/23/uae-human-rights-man-city-jailing-british-academic
Probably wise not to open this one up to comments. He can’t be that naive to think anyone at City can really say anything against UAE policy, can he?
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some rumors that Koscielny is set to take a big step up in his efforts to return to full fitness by playing for our U23’s on Monday
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On the goals I loved in my early football days theme!
Don’t know why this one was such a favourite. It’s excellent, obviously, but something about it put it in the top rank of goals for me. My favourites often involved a bit of dribbling, beating a player, etc, rather than just a great strike.
Might just be the brilliant twist to beat last defender then reversing the finish.
Anyway, Baggio! What a player. Not sure the game is as rich in these types- forwards with sumptuous skills, imagination and exquisite control- as it was when I started watching
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Steady regarding City and any chat about the Infant.
I wouldn’t want to see anyone attempt to defend the petrogarchs with the spurious insinuation that any critique of the former employers Don revie (he has an interesting and remarkably noteworthy yet silmultaneously insignificant history with them) is indicative of:
‘people who have forgotten how to enjoy the game’.
Because that would be tragic.
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Enjoyed seeing two midfielders alongside Dier for England last week.
Almost as enjoyable as Young Pep’s brutal backhanded compliment for the ‘Most Physical team in Europe’ as they then sat 4th in their CL group. Did Mike not like that?
Only took the hacks till three months after the WC to muster the footballs required to simply state the obvious, that having a No.8 in your football team usually helps them to play some decent football. Whatever next? They’ll be telling us that the sky i
Delph played well alongsdie Barkley who like Iwobi is slowly progressing with more minutes but of course he’s no Cazorla etc. Delp looking in better form then when he spent the 2015 FA Cup final locked away in Coquelin’s pocket. Hopefully the former Gunner will recover from his injuries and hit such form for himself again. Nevermind the copious blaggers who have edited such history of Coquelin and ’08 flamini from their podcasts, alas for these gritting experts the FA Cup history is in the record books and is not an opinion. None of which changes the excitement with Torreira belatedly replacing Coquelin in the squad. And my own desire to see him play alongside Ramsey! C’mon Unai, why aren’t you listening to me? I can’t understand it…
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fins
Think Delph was in team for some of the games in that period Wilshere got a number of MOTM’s with England.
I know for at least a few of them it was Delph, Henderson and Wilshere and was the best balanced mid I’d seen in ages for England.
Undersells their game a bit, but was essentially two hard workers with good legs, and Wilshere. Once injuries had hit him, thought that formula was always Jack’s best chance to excel. His prob with us was that Ozil was/is better.
Not the same, but with Wales Ramsey also tends to shine more with a couple of workers in mid with him. Ledley for example. Very slow to warm to him but appreciated job he did in end and seems missed recently.
One of best games I’ve ever seen Ramsey play for Wales, Belgium away, magnificent throughout, was with Vaughan and King in midfield with him.
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Would love to see the player of the season from last year playing back in the areas where he plays his best football.
Good performance against Sporting, so many matches coming up during the Xmas Fixture Crunch, the slow burning haggle over his contract now reaching the stage where his agent is releasing stories about one of the big European three coming in for him. If the player was set upon leaving surely such rumours would’ve been pumped out by his agent after or before the WC this summer, accompanied by some kind of statement to “you guys”? Is this a slow burning haggle in the age of Mourinho signing up a £40M boondangle to sit on his bench and soak up the cash? I remain hopeful he’ll play some more in the upcoming period, hopefully in midfield, and that he’ll sign up to stay!
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< boondoggle!
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Shame under-18s lost top of table clash with Spurs.
Number of our best at that level not involved though. John-Jules, Saka, Coyle and Olayinka seem to be u23 only at moment. Amaechi, Mceneff, Clarke injured
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And two missed penalties
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I need your help. Who do I hate more, Spurs or Chelsea?
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What the fuck, the spuds are 2 nil up already
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Georgaki
There’s no requirement for hate, just love Arsenal (but strongly dislike Leeds).
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Self Righteous
Were you born and/or grew up in north London? If not, you have the luxury of not experiencing hate for the spuds.
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massive game for Arsenal tomorrow, a chance to gain 3pts on Chelsea and also go six clear of man utd, both major in our hopes for a top 4 finish,
by the way last season after 13 games we were 4th, with 25pts, GD of +7
we currently have 24pts with GD +11, so despite all the PR talk from the club and especially from bloggers and big twitter accounts, about how so improved we are this season, we actually need a win to have more pts(2) at the 1/3 stage of this season, and a draw will mean same as last season, a defeat will mean worse off.
We’ve got our Arsenal back, or is it the more things change the more the stay the same.
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by the way we had 25pts the season before too at the 13 game mark
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Arsenal U16s beat Tottenham 4-2.
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I see Reiss Nelson was a sub for Hoffenheim today, came on in 88th minute with the score as it ended 3-3
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Georgaki
Highgate, Muswell Hill, Highbury, Holloway, Finsbury Park, Stroud Green, Crouch End.
Other than banter I’ve never experienced any problems with Spurs supporters, many of whom were good school & work mates.. Never been an issue with me. Completely pointless.
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Did we ever get a love in for beating Chelsea, even when it bought silverware?
Hope so, maybe my memory is clouded
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Mark Hughes, one of the great managerial mysteries.
Not sure who his agent is but If I was a sporting person, or in the public eye, I would would appoint him, or her immediately.
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Ed at 700
So we are at the same points +- as last year which in my opinion was the poorest of Wenger’s era and the arseblaggers & malcontents are filled with joy getting their Arsenal back. Wonder how will they react after (and if) we finish in top4 which in their opinion and wishes is nothing to be proud off.
Let’s wait and see. …..
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New post up
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