Hello Positive people.
In this podcast we look back all the way to the Villa game, one which I thought saw us displaying everything that will be needed for us to take a tilt at top 4 this season.
There was fast energetic and considered attacking, which saw us overcome targeted violence and some of the worse officiating I can remember, and I can remember a lot. We sowed great and immediate resolve to bounce back when we conceded one of the softest goal in our history, and I can remember a lot of them too.
Of course it wasn’t all good and there were a few worrying old traits on display and some below par performances from some of our lads, fortunately they were countered by some outstanding efforts by others.
It’s 5 on the spin, and although the fixtures,and form of our opponents, have favoured us, we couldn’t have done better points wise.
I know the transfer window closing seems to be the big talking point at the moment, but we fell it’s worth actually talking about the football.
Please like and subscribe to the Youttube channel and leave a comment either here or there, as it would help us greatly going forward.
Pedantic George.
Positively Arsenal 
Arsenal Academy
@ArsenalAcademy
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1m
Defeat at Portman Road, but a performance to be proud of 👏
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It was interesting to see, in sky’s report about Nwanari, that Xhaka has coached the U16’s as part of his coaching badges.
Given what a brilliant leader and Captain he is and has been it bodes well for his coaching and managerial career.
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ian in the hale end shows on arsenal.com it showed Xhaka, Elneny and Cedric coaching the u15 and u16 teams, as part of them doing their coaching badges
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also ian I seen in one article where Xhaka was meant to have said to one of the Brentford players, when Nwaneri was about to come on,something along the lines of “this kid is the real deal”
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an interesting little aside from the Brentford game, it seen both Ramsdale and Saka play their 100th EPL games, Saka all with AFC, Ramsdale with Sheffield Utd, Bournemouth and AFC.
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i see there are proposals to do away with replays in the fac from 3rd round on, and that teams who qualify for europe would either field their u21’s or not play at all in the league cup. This would if passed come into effect either next season or the season after. Think its to coincide with the expansion of the european competitions.
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Although I hate the idea of the domestic cups being fucked about with I think that there has to be changed to allow the lower league teams to survive.
Especially as the European super League will come back in some form.
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well the revamp of the CL is close to a super league
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The problem, like the PL, is it will probably only escalate the dominance of teams with big money and big squads.
Arsene nearly won the league cup with a virtual U21 side only to be robbed in the final by dodgy officials helping the mega rich chelski.
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Gee,
Perhaps the latent and frankly vulgar Emeryism of moving Xhaka to LB during play or starting him there, which cost the club quite badly last season, was a catalyst moment for Arteta?
We all know and noted that the most redeeming act of his management to date was the contract he gave to Xhaka. That was something.
Perhaps Arteta knew he had the midfielder he wanted to build the team around for the next two three years but needed to iron out the wrinkles in his tactics?
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I hold my hands up as I had not seen enough from Edu yet to not fear the signing of Viera. But even before he scored the goal he had a fantastic premier league debut for a young inexperienced midfielder. We saw the game!
What’s funny is the consideration that Arteta has built a squad with three different types of ten in it, MO, FV & ESR.
The reach around blagging crew all cried just two years ago that tens were superfluous in modern football. These people also spent five years attacking Xhaka a footballer Jack Wilshere humbly and greatly identified on arrival as his own replacement in 2016 (although they have different styles). Why? Because they do not know Football.
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I know it’s difficult to gauge players on their debut especially ones coming from outside the league but I thought apart from the goal Vieira had a quiet game.
After watching the game live and coming to that opinion, I then see all the noise around him and went back and watched the full game again.
The second around there was nothing to change my mind.
The goal though was fucking special.
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Arsenal U21’s are playing away to Blackburn U21’s today, its 2-0 to AFC at he break, so far today AFC have given debuts to two 16 year olds, Maldini Kacurri and Harrison Dudziak. Fellow 16 year olds Rojas and Nichols are in the subs
Ideho and Bandeira with our first half goals, Burnley have scored early second half
Dudziak taken off at half time, Jimi Gower on for his U21 debut. 17 year old Ruell Walters is captain of the team today.
Arsenal U21 team v Burnley: Hillson, Robinson, Kacurri, Walters, Quesada-Thorn, Ibrahim, Bandeira, Dudziak, Ideho, Vigar, Lewis.
Subs: Rojas, Foran, Nichols, Gower, Taylor-Hart.
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Burnley 1 Arsenal 3. Ideho gets his second of the game to restore Arsenal’s two-goal lead.
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Arsenal Academy
@ArsenalAcademy
We’ve made a double change…
↩️ Walters
🔛 Foran
↩️ Gower
🔛 Taylor-Hart
👉 A slight knock for Jimi ends his afternoon
🔴 1-3 ⚫️ (73)
#AFCU21 | #PLCup
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16 year old Josh Nichols makes his debut for the U21s as he replaces Quesada-Thorn
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FT: Burnley u21’s 1-3 Arsenal U21’s
Ideho x2 and a Bandeira penalty with our goals, in a game we gave three 16 year olds their debuts at this level.
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Rahman osman
@iamrahmanosman
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1h
I’m hearing Thomas Partey has pulled out of Ghana’s game against Brazil due to knock. Was in the line-up to start but felt something during warm-up. Not the news Arsenal fans would like to hear.
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TBH Partey seems to be more of an excuse than a player. He never seems to do much in matches and only looks good when he keeps it simple. If he ever tries to add flair it goes wrong.
He does tackle well in places but not nearly enough to be a real force like a Kante or big Claude.
For a big man he doesn’t even dominate in the air.
He does seem to be at his best when he is injured especially if we have a bad result.
However Mikel will pick him whenever he is fit suggesting he either really likes him or has no trust in his replacements.
Until he is replaced he will be somewhat of a strange phenomenon.
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Mikel will play Partey because he bought him and his major signings cannot be seen to be failures. Had Mikel bought Pepe, he would be here and starting every game.
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47k at the Emirates saw Arsenal Women 4, that lot 0. Mead, Miedema (2), Rafaelle with the goals.
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I thought Edu buys everyone now so Mikel can’t be blamed if things go wrong. Actually Mikel was only the coach when Partey was brought wasn’t he?
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@ finsburyp
Xhaka at LB is a crime to football and whoever plays him there consistently needs to be pelted with rotten eggs.
I still have not forgotten the treatment of Ozil by Atreta and Emery and am still scarred by it but the opening few games of the season have soften my heart a little bit and some of my fears are slowly being removed regarding the clubs direction so I give him credit for that.
I actually believed Arteta was allergic to number 10’s and creative flair players, often lining up with at least 8 defensive minded players against low league teams, this season though at least 5 players prepared to play the ball offensively or be creative has helped our fluidity and creativity.
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Gee, I totally agree that we have looked good this season and even in the game we lost we were the better side.
The fixture list has played a major part in our success but just how major is difficult to assess.
The spud game should tell us alot because although they certainly haven’t been on fire this season, Conte has made them solid and difficult to beat. They have got results from games they haven’t played well and even at times badly.
I have long thought this season could be make or break concerning top four and the outcome of the present squad and also money.
Win this game and with almost a quarter of the season gone our top four pretensions would have to be taken seriously however lose and we will look like flat track bullies who have lost the two big games with have played.
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Jarred Gillet the very slightly dodgy Aussie chap on VAR so I expect a penalty for a slight jostle on Saint Harry of Kane.
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Hoping we get something from the game though I think losing would not be the end of the world.
As long as the team spirit, willingness to run for / cover each other remains high and they enjoy playing together then I am confident we can have a good season.
I see Xhaka as the leader the whole team respects and listens to, see Jesus pressing and enthusiasm rubbing of on the rest of the team and I see a CB partnership that might develop into something special. I also see they genuinely like playing together at the moment. Not to mention a few youngsters in saka, martinelli, Smith Rowe and those in academy then things don’t look as bad as they did this time last year.
Hope it lasts and they can build on it.
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Arsenal women have qualified for the womens CL group stages with a win away to Ajax, Miedema with the important goal, 3-2 on agg
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To score early and then play out the rest of the game keeping a clean sheet shows a great professional attitude.
Excellent by the Women again.
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Hey Positives. Am baacckk from a long vacation. After one week at work I feel like going away again. But needs must. I will hook up with George after Spurs on Saturday.
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Smith-Rowe out till the new year after groin surgery
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ESR has been really unlucky with injuries and the lack of game time with Mikel when he is fit makes me think he probably hasn’t got long left at ARSENAL.
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I suppose its possible that it’s been the ongoing niggling injury that has restricted ESR’s appearances, rather than any deep seated plot to sideline him. I just hope the operation has sorted the problem.
An Important 1230 match start for me today – 3rd XI girls hockey – so relying on you guys to roar the Gunners home!
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COYG!
Early kick off might help us today, the Chicken Cauldron wont get as heated up as a nasty evening game?
COYG!
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Tis a blow for ESR but has provided an opportunity for Viera to start his PL career.
Not sure I’ll enjoy many NLDs as much as the home leg last season. But I’ll take a win today!
If ESR is back for the Away game and in form to crack home a 40 yard rising half volley (hit the bar last season or the year before) that could be right up there with the 5-2’s.
the spuds have the positive handicap, the Gunners a negative one. For anyone with eyes to see. Hope they can make it up today.
I would like to end this day with the declaration, “Riley & Dunces Inc. down at the PiGMOB, Greg Dyke, Aunty Bleeb, Don $ugga of Bogsville Bois, your boys took one hell of a beating today…”
COYG
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Xhaka has to be careful in this one, they will target him, and we know the refs like Tottenham for some reason, especially against us.
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I like many in our fanbase believe we will do well today and will take home the three points.
The biggest concern is the one game we lost this season wasn’t because we weren’t the better side but because we were caught on the break from a side sitting deep and countering quickly.
That’s exactly how the spuds play staying solid and then once turning over the ball catching teams on the break. They are probably better than manure at this and certainly pose a greater threat in the air.
We need to make sure we can cope with these counters and don’t let Kane find space against our smaller players whether that be full backs or the wingers in front.
The main thing is we know we can cause them problems, so this is what we need to make sure we punish them when we have the chance COYG.
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For some daft reason (not being a real Arsenal fan) I thought it was at the shithole today, glad it’s at ours, I reckon we’ve got this.
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A rash tackle but I’m curious. What’s the pelanty ratio in NLDs since the start of Riley?
One every game and a half, one in two at most?
What are such odds? Asking for a friend. Fair play to all the punters with surnames that might begin to with R that thought it or urm knew that Kane might get a pen.
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Nice,real nice. For me, the most satisfying Arteta win so far.
COYG!
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Excellent win, always good to be your local rivals and stop a team that was looking like were picking up a winning habit.
Midfield of Partey and especially Xhaka was a 10 10 performance, Jesus and Martinelli were excellent(loved Jesus’s goal) and the rest of the team were really good.
Excellent work Arteta, keep proving me wrong.
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Agree that the midfield was magnificent, and that’s ignoring the goals. and the reason why Arsenal dominated.
Felt Partey was more incisive with his passing and flow today. His best game in an Arsenal shirt? And then there was Xhaka who was a fair shout for MOTM IMO.
One difference between Arteta & Southgate is the now firm commitment to an extra attacking player in the line up. There’ll be times to switch it up but the need to get more goals was obvious after last season and he’s shifting that 433ish shape about smoothly now. And obviously a better spirit in the squad with players who want to be at the club. Lots of things to enjoy today, not least the good football.
And fair play to Taylor on the red card call a fair few refs would’ve missed the high studs.
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George said we were favourites for this and pool and I said basically what a load of bollocks, so as I have said on here many times what the fuck do I know.
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I didn’t think the midfield was very good when we didn’t have the ball.
The square in front of our area was absent bare on several occasions and once again we never got hold on Son who kept coming towards the ball turning and was allowed space to cause trouble.
The penalty incident was the third time in the game Son drifted into the centre of the park and on each occasion it was only because he played a poor pass that they weren’t in on goal.
Going forward this is something we have to sort out to become more solid.
What I did think was amazing was firstly we got a big decision in a big game and secondly Captain Xhak getting some recognition after years of being ignored.
Surely it must be embarrassing for the club when everyone in the world can clearly see Xhaka is the club’s captain and yet he still doesn’t lead the team out.
All in all a great day beating the tiny totts well and letting them know North London is still red.
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I wasn’t able to see the game but from the few comments I heard on the radio later this afternoon it sounds as if we played OK. I might watch Match of the Day for once!
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A very good performance. But, the age old situation applies, we still haven’t beaten anyone who sits above us this season
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Thanks Ian.
Under the wise stewardship and non-stop development led by Lord Levy this Tottenham team do not have a midfielder like Erickson (heh) who can make those passes and exploit those gaps. Tens are dead innit?
that Utd match and how it went might prove to be just the thing to help a player like Saliba complete his development and settle into the PL.
Not sure if the Liverpool central midfield exists anymore? they’ve not been able to identify and bring in any heirs for Wijnaldum or even Henderson.
but they should be a more challenging opponent then this Tottenham team who yesterday conceded over 18 shots for the 4th time in 8 games. Positively Emery-esque styles in N17 from Conte. Rather them then us.
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Read a stat. of 14 pelanties in 18 NLD games for Kane? If true what can you say. Crikey. Any point against such, ah, um, consistently lucky opponents is a good point. Yes. I enjoyed this victory
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Not sure who she of been covering the square in front of the back four but if you drew a line from the edge of the centre circle back our area that’s where the space was.
I think you would have to say this is mainly Parteys position to cover and I did see him level or sitting with the back four. He also made a few challenges from the wrong side where if he was goal side he wouldn’t of even needed to make the challenge to slow a break.
The other solution would be for one of the back four to come out instead of completely retreating together. In this instance, especially with song, the full backs could do it leaving a three centrally behind.
Each time this happened Son came towards the ball and picked it up where there was no danger but as soon as we let him turn he was in oceans of space fortunately his passing was shit and it let us off the hook. Even the penalty had he played in Richalason with an easy pass he probably would of scored but instead sent him wide.
Overall I think we played better in the manure game but Finsbury days Erickson’s passing is a class above Sons.
The main thing is although you could say the fixture list has been kind we are not only top but have still played better than every team we have faced.
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just a little word on Ethan Nwaneri, the young lad whose debut last time out was a record setter. Well he went down to the U18’s yesterday, seems odd saying he went down to the U18’s when he is only 15 and the U18’s is above his age level, well anyway, he played striker for the 18’s v Norwich, scored the opener, and had the assist for our second goal, in a 2-1 away win.
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New post is up
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