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 
according to Arteta, Elneny out for months, Partey out for weeks
Ramsdale and Odegaard doubts for Sunday’s game v Man Utd
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Zinchenko likely to miss the game game too
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Any good pod lads although not sure I agree with it all.
Firstly ESR is 100% a number 10 I have seen him play there l on numerous occasions and if he had as much game time as Oddegarrd he would be close to him.
On Emi yes he tried to strangle Jesus and claim he was getting fouled but isn’t that exactly what our mad invincible keeper Lehman used to do.
As for the goals Emi was going one way and done well to keep the deflection out so anyone saying he should then have directed it out sideways must have superman in goal.
The second one was hit hard and fast and Emi was coming across from the other side of his goal after covering from Saka, again running across your goal resetting and stopping a first time shot is very difficult.
I think he might just of been getting stick for the way he left the club rather than his performance.
I said in the review of the Fulham Pod when Mikel was getting credit for putting Eddie on early that it was a reaction to going a goal behind that every Sunday league manager would make and we would have to see what happened if the other team hadn’t scored by much later in the game and I think we got our answer.
Villa had offered absolutely nothing up front but all Gerard’s subs were attacking and the game was still 1-0. The fact they scored out of nothing and we couldn’t score with the players on the field has to be down to the manager. Again he struggles in the latter part of the game.
George said despite the poor opponents we have faced we are where we are so everyone is rosy. Well exactly where are we? We have won five games that we could of handpicked, the manager is still making mistakes and for all the millions spent we are still worried when we lose a couple of players through injury.
I don’t even agree the football is great. It is in patches, sometimes excellent in patches but we certainly haven’t seen a really good 90 minutes yet.
Tomorrows game will be the first test, away at a team that suddenly has more confidence, a loud crowd behind them and probably another set of biased officials.
COYG.
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Actually Ian, I sort of agree on ESR on reflection. He is more of an old 10 though than a modern one. He’s certainly not in the mold of Ozil, Santi or Cesc, they were MF creator he’s more of a 2nd striker. Anyway, that’s how I see it, I could of course be wrong.
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The match ref and VAR ref for the Utd game – both from Greater Manchester. I am sure they will claim to support non or lower league clubs, but can expect to see rotational fouling on our players and a red for Xhaka for breathing near a player if he’s not very careful
Anything run by Mike Riley, especially in likely his final Utd vs Arsenal is never a good look
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Finding it particularly galling watching Villa play City. 25 mins in and not one tackle made.
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There you go Tim Digne doesn’t let you down and only gets booked for a red offence
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Well I see whatever happens tomorrow we stay top of the league!
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15 year old midfielder Etan Nwaneri made his u21 debut for AFC today, he played just over an hour of our 4-1 win v Blackburn Rovers U21’s
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BBC reporting the Premier League to review the operation of VAR with the PGMOL, seems the events of yesterday have been the catalyst. About time
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Ramsdale, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko, Lokonga, Xhaka, Odegaard, Saka, Martinelli, Jesus.
Subs: Turner, Tierney, Smith Rowe, Nketiah, Holding, Cedric, Tomiyasu, Vieira, Marquinhos
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Man Utd team to face Arsenal:
De Gea, Dalot, Varane, Martinez, Malacia, McTominay, Eriksen, Fernandes, Antony, Sancho, Rashford.
Subs: Heaton, Dubravka, Lindelof, Maguire, Ronaldo, Fred, Casemiro, Shaw, Elanga
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Riley strikes again.Same old ManUre always cheating.
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Martinelli goal disallowed cos utd protested a lot
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1-0 man utd, antony on his debut, fuck it
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well now we see if anything has changed with Arteta’s Arsenal, a comeback needed, but that has very rarely happened under Arteta
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1-1 saka
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ah for fucks sake 2-1 to utd, pathetic
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Shame. Some good moments, some naive ones — and just on the wrong side of the big decisions. Probably went a bit too soon with not only the cavalry but all the stable lads too.
But a good game to watch and if we can play like that more games than not we should be fine.
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Wasn’t all down to the ref, poor defending did not help, but you just knew a ref would take a decisive role in this game and not in our favour
In fairness, blame VAR for that one, I think the ref would have given the Martinelli goal.
Bad bad week for Lee Mason, though Riley will be happy with him after today
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David Ornstein
@David_Ornstein
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17m
🚨 Emile Smith Rowe appeared to pull up with an injury during Arsenal warm-down. 22yo attacking midfielder looked distressed as he was accompanied back to dressing room by #AFC assistant coach Carlos Cuesta, while rest of substitutes continued their session @TheAthleticUK #MUNARS
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Arteta on VAR:
What they said is that it was a soft foul. It’s just consistency, the soft foul on Bukayo Saka with Mings is not a penalty. There’s nothing we can do now it’s just consistency.
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The more I think about it, the more that decision to disallow the goal stinks. The ref was fine with it, but clearly someone behind the scenes intervened in a major way. Even when watching the screen Tierney was on the verge of allowing it – but I guess the whispers in his ear became too loud to ignore
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I’m sure Keiran thought it was ok.
Actually that was the best we have played all season.
So many positives to be happy about.
Some of the points we have brought up after our five wins came back to haunt us today but after today we know we can go to big teams away from home and play good possession based football.
I am gutted but encouraged.
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well until the broadcast the discussions between the officials they will never be held accountable
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Adrian Clarke
@adrianjclarke
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1h
Lots of pressure but not enough punch from Arsenal.
48 touches in box, 3 shots on target.
United had 17 touches in box. 6 shots on target.
Couple of flaws to iron out with the midfield structure & back line too.
Learn. Don’t let confidence fade. Go again!
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Again a classic example of not trusting stats, if you play the park the bus counter address system of course you won’t have many touches on the opposition box. Once you counter the space afforded you means that of course you should get shots on target.
The main thing everyone should know is manure have spent millions on a new manager, millions on a star studded squad but still played like Stoke and were largely outplayed by a team not even guaranteed to get CL football.
The manure fans are rocking today but won’t put up with that football for long. Also it won’t work against teams lower down the league who will play that way themselves.
Ten Haag couldn’t say afterwards my team are shit so we got away with one today playing like a lower league team. He knows their confidence is flimsy at the moment. He said it’s early on in the “process” (there’s that word again) and we will learn to control games.
Football can swing in small moments whoever got the second goal wins the game, if we had scored then TH would have been slated he got lucky he was up against a naive manager today.
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The Great Sack Race throws up another chapter. The contemporary game often seems to be eating its own tail?
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Yeah you’re right Mills I’m surprised I thought they would stick with Tuchel a bit longer but there you go their are still a spending and sacking club so all those who said everything would change at chelski were wrong.
It would be a shame for Brighton if Potter goes although it might improve our chances against them.
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Do you think Potters up to it Ian? You’re right that it would affect The Seaweed, and potentially help us.Also talk of Ange leaving Celtic, but to me its too early. Gerrard also left Rangers too early too imo. Ange should stick with Celtic for another couple of years, he has a great team (squad) at the moment.Rodgers also being linked, which seems really odd (to me at least)?
Perhaps Tuchel has lost the dressing room (even though it doesn’t seem that evident) or had an argument with the new owners?
Off topic, but Ian (or anyone of you guys who interested in the old Mod world) did you know that Weller ripped off Brinsley Schwartz’s ‘Surrender to the rhythm’ when the TSC did “Speak like a Child”? I knew the title was whipped from Herb H but not the whole tune! Mind you Weller likes a rip off ( Im sure he would admit it too) even the first 12 notes are nicked from Bagpuss when he did the Bitterest Pill.
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Yeah he has taken “samples” from lots of stuff.
In most cases he would pay royalties to the company who owns the piece.
I heard he is working with a record company on a compilation album of his favourite tracks. It should be out within the next year.
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Even on Wellers latest “Ooh do u fink u r?” sounds suspiciously like parts of Chestnut Mare by the Byrds!
Anyone up for tonight, or does it seem like a massive, long boring road to even get anywhere? Livercrutches looked bored to whatever last night and couldn’t be bovvered? Sometimes the competition set up seems a bit too big?It’s all down to money of course, but it seems to drain things a bit?
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History tells us that Mikel is not one to experiment and give players a chance in these games, however as he has lost three midfielders and Vieira has already played we might see him starting tonight.
Can’t really see any other changes unless he finally decides playing a right back at right back is an advantage.
Personally I would like to see Eddie come in although I think on past experience I may be pissing in the wind.
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I agree Ian about Eddie; tough times for him; bits and pieces of games as a sub, then heaps of pressure if he has to carry a cup game etc when the stars are rested. When playing regularly at dirty Leeds he seemed to be on a roll?
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Arsenal team: Turner, Tomiyasu, Holding, Gabriel, Tierney, Lokonga, Xhaka, Marquinhos, Vieira, Martinelli, Nketiah.
Well what the fuck do I know plenty of changes although the ever present Captain stays in as usual.
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Turner, Gabriel, Holding, Tomiyasu, Tierney, Marquinhos, Xhaka, Lokonga, Fabio Vieira, Martinelli, Nketiah.
Subs: Ramsdale, Hein, White, Saka, Odegaard, Jesus, Saliba, Zinchenko, Cirjan, Smith, Cozier-Duberry
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Marquinhos 1-0 to the Arsenal, a debut goal for our young man from Brazil, after good work by Nketiah
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nketiah gives away a penalty
1-1
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HT: 1-1
we really could have put this game to bed after taking the lead, but we have been a bit slack at both ends of the pitch
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eddie eddie eddie, 2-1 to the Arsenal
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full time, 2-1 win, made it harder than needs be, but a win is a win is a win
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Couldnt watch. Any injuries?
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No injuries and overall a good win for a mainly second string team away in Europe.
Although Zurich came through the Qualifications and were in pot 4 they were obviously no mugs and their support was magnificent especially as they weren’t playing in their home stadium.
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The minutes silence was a nice touch at the start of the second half after the announcement of the Queen’s passing.
I am certainly no royalists but I was still sad to see her go and although it was inevitable I was still shocked and it feels very weird we now have King Charles 111 on the throne.
My wife had said when tributes started coming in earlier today that she had already gone but when it came I was really surprised, it felt very strange I don’t know why.
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I feel the same Ian, also not a Royalist etc but also felt oddly sad (I didn’t think I would at all). My partner also said the same that she had died and they were just waiting-so nice coincidence. I heard years ago that the Queen supported The Arsenal, true or not I have no idea. I often wondered if she sat there with her shirt on, with the words ” the Queen ” printed on the back? I wonder if she got on a rant if we were losing? Got on a few blogs afterwards…(lol).
In an odd way it’s the start of a new era, and the end of another, or at least something she represented. Mostly in life we aren’t aware of change and its pretty subtle but somethings that seem so stable suddenly appear to be as transient as everything else? I suppose also unless you were 97 or above she was all that people had known, always there, seemingly stable through up and downs of popularity.
And her death is a world event, and despite the fact we live in global connections most events are still local or regionalised even if they are world news?
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Long live the King.
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All games cancelled this weekend as a mark of respect
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So the toffs get their cricket, rugby and racing this weekend but the man in the street football fan is told to stay at home and show some respect.
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We’ve still got Speedway!
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Well wrong again, cancelled in UK but not FIM. Dying on the Sommes not been cancelled though…
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