Good afternoon Positives,

Six changes but the job done against a ‘muscular’ Watford side who, as we all too well know, have proven to be a damn nuisance before at the Ems.

The first half was no great advert for Premier League football and while both sides had flashes of quality passing I did not think was crisp or accurate.  Again our opener came from a dead ball and a defender scoring. Eight minutes gone and I assumed we were in for another Palace/Everton style scoring avalanche. Yeeeehaaah as us cowboys say. But NO, fool that I am. First, Sead slotted a sharp cross in to PEA but the striker could not connect, then Mesut danced through one on one on the visitors keeper only to be thwarted by a Greek foot. Goodness that second goal was elusive.

For our opponents Pereyera blazed over from 6 yards with the whites of Cech’s eyes clearly visible. Other than that the remainder of the first half I thought was even, with bits of attacking menace  and errors from both sides.

The opening of the second half was somewhat uncomfortable – if you watched it with me I shall say no more and if you have not seen it yet don’t bother. We were under pressure and not really able to control the game or hold the ball for10+ minutes. However we held together. Repeated corners from Watford were dealt with well by Cech and our defenders. Shkodran and Rob Holding were a model of concentration and good co-ordination. Richarlison and Femenia pressed on the flanks but during this important phase we did not ‘crack’.

And then, as the rainbow emerges with little warning from the dark, wet sky so our second and decisive goal was slotted home. (That is not me below but I wish it was)

With the two goal cushion I was, for a full 60 seconds, chortling to myself and entirely relaxed. The game was over, the points settled. Off you go Watford, on you go back to Metroland.

No – no and thrice no. AMN made his first rick of a good performance in the right back slot and up stepped Deeney to take on our helmeted stopper. And despite the 16 previous penalties required him to fish the ball out of the net today good fortune was on his side. A powerful strike by the ugliest man in Watford but an equally solid left hand from Petr send it spinning up and away. It had to be Deeney Karma, kismet, the Fates, the fickle Finger of Fate etc. – do you know what I mean ? .

If Watford had the services of a good finisher rather the tub of lard they employ at Number 9 who can say. It is good however when an outstanding competitor and general good bloke like Cech gets what he deserves. 200 up.

After that a final goal on 77 minutes from Mhki who spent the afternoon being abused by Alan Smith on Sky and kicked all over the shop by Watford. I felt like giving the commentating equivalent of Eyeore a kick at times during today’s game to be honest, but at 3-0 I am magnanimous.

So that was that. A useful three points. I am hard pushed to really to pick out one or two Arsenal players who stood out today as it was, like Thursday, a good 11 man performance. We shall see if Shkodran’s groin is up to another game this week later on.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend.

@LaboGoon and the Arsenal vs Watford programme notes

Good morning one and all.

Early kick-off for the Arsenal as they host Watford just after lunch.

The past few weeks leading up to the San Siro has been tough on all of us as football showed it’s unforgiving side, and with that the natives became restless. Playing on foreign soil proved to be the tonic as the players had to dig deep to snap out of whatever hindered them… and oh boy, how glorious was it.

The AC Milan result and indeed commanding performance were huge for so many reasons, more importantly it gave us back of that feel good stuff we lacked recently.

Firstly though, today will be anything but a cakewalk. Watford came into a bit of form of late, losing just one of their last five games and they also seem to have this irritating habit of lifting themselves whenever they play us. So be prepared for a contest.

With a Jack Wilshere tweet to remind Troy Deeney they had not forget him questioning their “manhood” after our last meeting, Watford too should expect our boys wanting their own back. So today could get a bit spicy.

Getting into top 4 may be beyond us at this point but winning each game is as important now as it has ever been. With Europa representing our best opportunity of returning to the CL next season it is vital we get it right in the PL to carry form, momentum and togetherness there.

Team news: after initial injury scares Chambers and Kolašinac returned to full training, so the same squad that did duty in Italy is available for selection. The talismanic Monreal also returned to training but will only be available after today.

Everything of the best to our players and manager today and may they give due reward to the Emirates faithful for their unwavering support through the sunshine and rain.

Home is where the heart is.

Good morning Positives,

A livelier spring in the step this morning as we emerge from the footballing fog of the past fortnight.

What a good performance and an even better result in Milan last night. We put together what I’d say is the best team performance this season. Against good quality opponents who were in form and in front of 70,000 Milanese our 11 players worked tirelessly over the 99 minutes of the game to fashion the deserved win. I do not think it was our best football performance this season, as we have purer, crisper Wengerball at other places sinceAugust, but last night every player worked for the  collective, the sum of the parts added up to more than the 11 components.

Particular praise to Granit, Aaron and Jack across the middle who were creatively tidy with the ball, and bloodhounds when Milan had it. Mustafi has endured a storm of criticism over the past fortnight but was excellent last night. Man of the match though for me was Danny Welbeck. I admit in the opening few minutes I was a bit “FFSDanny” as he skated about but  he raced about all night and provided an out-ball to stop us being constantly confined in our half. Toward the end of the game he still looked fresh and for a player who has played so little football his fitness was credit to him and to the backroom gurus who have brought him back. With Laca still a bit short Danny will have another busy Thursday next week.

The only slight cloud on the horizon was Sead and Callum’s injuries.  Our Bosnian had a first half tormenting the home side so his departure was disappointing. Hopefully both players will be swiftly restored but you never ‘know’ with injuries.

Of our RossoNeri opponents I doubt this tie is all over. Milan tried stuff and it either ran into the AFC defensive brick wall or it did not come off. They will be disappointed not to have got at least one goal. Suso’s a handful, I like him. Milan still think they are in it and will come to the Ems with the early goal in mind.

Both sides played a fair game last night and congratulations to Calhanoglu for not chucking himself at Ospina to win a penalty. Were you watching ‘ArryKane ?  For referee Turpin an easy game to control and he responded by allowing the game to flow and whipping out only one card.

Before starting this morning I picked up a ticket for the second leg – lower tier North Bank £18.50. You won’t hear about that ticket price in the media or from AST.

Enjoy Friday.

Friends, Romans, Arsenal men, lend me your ears I come to praise Arsene, not to butcher him.  There is feeding frenzy involving second rate hacks, Billy big bollocks bloggers, podcasters and hate filled attention seeking halfwit fans, all picking over the not yet dead corpse of our greatest ever manager. A man that is a legend in the game, a visionary and easily the most intelligent, classy man I’ve ever know in football.

They say he must go! Nay, he must be driven out, ridiculed and his greatest moments disparaged and downgraded.

After 22 years at the helm his work is done, we need him no more, off with him, drive him into the wilderness, once we have tarred and feathered him of course!

But here is the thing, it’s with a heavy heart that I accept the end is near, and that a tipping point has been reached. I don’t think he has the time, or the backing from the board, fans and players that he would need to turn the ship again.  Perhaps after 22 years a new voice is needed. Maybe it is all stale. But what I don’t accept, and will never accept, is that Arsene Wenger is not a great manager, let alone that he never was one. I’m simply calling bullshit on that much used soundbite.

How many times has José Mourinho gone stale at clubs? I can think of three occasions where he has been sacked, where his tactics have failed, and he has been cast aside. But what happened next? Another massive job.  People claiming he was one of the world’s best managers, and yet he couldn’t survive beyond 3 years.

Were people claiming he was not the manager he once was when he won the CL in 2004 with Porto?

No, they were not. They were using this 14 year-old achievement as evidence of his greatness.

Jürgen Klopp lasted almost 7 years at Borussia Dortment before flirting with relegation and being sent on his way.  Did people say he used to be great and now he isn’t? No, they didn’t, and it doesn’t look much like it either, now does it?

Carlo Ancelotti, currently unemployed after being sacked for the umpteenth time. Yet many people are suggesting he could replace Arsene. Why, if not keeping success going is evidence of a decline in managerial abilities?

Even Pep Guardiola ran out of steam at Barca and needed a year out, and felt 3 years at Bayern was enough before he got stale.

So if we accept that Arsene’s race at Arsenal is run, it does not follow that it’s because he is no longer a great manager, visionary and football intellectual. In fact I suggest the very opposite, that he has taken 22 years to reach the point that these so called great mangers reach in a fraction of the time, means he has most likely proved he is greater than them, rather than their inferior.

Oh and by the way, there is only one ARSENE WENGER.

Good afternoon Positives,

There we are then, a poor week finished off for all sports of footballing and no-footballing reasons by a defeat to Brighton.

Reviewing in my mind’s eye the performance today we lost the game as a result of a period of incomprehensibly poor defending during a 35 minute period when our defensive core, Cech, Kosc and Shkrodran looked never to have met one another before and Brighton physically brushed them aside. Each time a corner came in a big blue head got on the end of it. What was puzzling was the back four we put out, including Kolasinac and Chambers is physically the most imposing group of defenders we have at the club as viable starters. Why lads … Why … Whisper it in my ear – please – I won’t shout – I promise ! It was 2-0 after 27 minutes but in truth it could have been worse.

In any event having recovered consciousness and found ourselves flat on our back we suddenly flickered into life. Oddly the turning point of our afternoon was Jack’s 40th minute wild challenge of Knockaert, for which he was deservedly carded, but after which we had some energy about us and physically began to compete. Over the remainder of the half we matched Brighton challenge for challenge,  and certainly in the second  half went on to dominate our opponents, over 80% of the pitch at least. That goal just before half time, neatly despatched after good work on the left, surely provided the platform for a storming second half. Or so I thought …..

In spite of our momentum  going into the second half Brighton defended deep, deeper, deepest, were organised, and allowed us only an occasional sight of Ryan’s goal throughout what seemed a very long 45 minute indeed. I thought Jack and Granit were very good throughout the second 45 and the Englishman was constantly poking at the centre of the Brighton line. In front of them PEA and Mkhi also twisted and turned and tried to find space but Gawd it was crowded in there. We tried to hit them again and again on the same axis, and they defended again and again in the same way. I cannot criticise the sweat that we put in, or the commitment of our players once they had come to their senses. The guile to cut open Brighton however was just not there. Is that 16 goals in 15 PL away games this season ?

So well done to our hosts today, a deserved three points won with two well taken chances and a commendable second half defensive display. I know it is a subject I could bore for my country on but oh how I wish we had a nippy winger like that Izquierdo who was a constant thorn in our flank all afternoon.

We must stop meeting like this.

Enjoy Sunday and I trust like me you are looking forward to temporarily putting the clanking chains of Premier League football aside and enjoying the prospect of the San Siro and Milan.

@LaboGoon times his visit to Brighton for an early Sunday lunch

Good morning one and all.

Arsenal travel to the city of Brighton this afternoon to play their pride at the Amex. I can tell you one thing ….. for everyone’s sanity this is a game each of our players and the boss want to win at all cost.

Brighton has come a long way since we last played them. Currently they are playing like a team belonging in the Premier League, and not exactly with a style that one would describe as “attractive”, but what they had produced over the last few weeks is their own brand of cold, hard steel. They are in the midst of a purple patch too; unbeaten in their last 6, including 2 wins in their last 2 home fixtures and they have also scored 8 goals in their last 3 PL games. So with that bit of caution… what a time for a us to visit them eh, especially with our away form?

That said, I think the one and only thing of importance for us today is that we respond well after recent results, to get back on the proverbial bike. We need that to soften the tone of the baying mob.

Fixtures are coming thick and fast and judging from the boss’ comments winning this game is more important than getting ahead of ourselves. We need something to kick on from and a win here today would do just that. We all know the quality of our players, all they need is just something to get out of this funk and get the confidence going again on the field, especially our new boys who are still settling in to a new environment.

Team news: besides Monreal and Lacazette no new injuries, though Danny is a concern, but with Jack back I’d say we can expect a strong line-up from the available players, because now is not the time to be taking anything for granted.

Good luck to the boss and the players for today. Fingers crossed that our travelling fans have a lot to cheer about at the final whistle because boy do they need it… [whispers softly] which means all of us.

Good Friday morning Positive Arsenal fans,

A better performance last night than Sunday but the same scoreline against a set of attacking players who at this rate will tear up the Premier League record book easily. In spite of my early season scepticism, Citeh appear to be very serious contenders for the Champions League final. If there is a club or clubs out there who would have turned over our opponents in the form they were in last night then I have not seen them. I noticed all the pundits seemed to be cooing and gurgling about MC in contrast to their vituperative attacks on our players during the Carabo.

I have not checked the stats but last night I think Citeh had five serious efforts on goal and scored beautifully from three of them. We had probable five, perhaps seven, worthwhile chances, including the penalty, and yet did not trouble the scorer. In other recent games – against Palace and Everton we did to the opposition with our  first half goal-fest in each game pretty much  what the visitors did to us last night – we were home and hosed by half time. I therefore raise my footballing hat in admiration.

Having got that commendation out of the way I thought our lads did OK. Aaron looked fit again and it seems essential that if we are to put in a strong finish to the season he stays fit. Granit worked his arse off as always, Mkhi buzzed and earned his penalty. It is taking time for PEA to fit in and for us to play to his strengths but it is a positive work in progress. Hitting the back of the net though – that is what has let us down all this season. The problem has to be resolved – easily said – bloody hard to do.

In the world of strange football statistics I was informed last night was the worst sequence of three results AFC have suffered for 41 years, since February/March 1977, when we lost away at Middlesborough, Everton and at Highbury to the then very good Ipswich and the ‘appy Ammers. We then went on to lose our next two games. I survived the catastrophe 41 years ago, I suspect I shall survive it again.

So onward to Brighton for a Sunday lunchtime kick off and the chance to put two consecutive batterings by the Champions’ elect behind us. I did not see any additional injuries or fitness problems last night and Jack should be available if required. I look forward to a brisk start.

Enjoy your Friday.

@LaboGoon cocks an early snook at the snow

Good morning one and all.

Barely recovered from Sunday’s loss to Man City and it’s subsequent hysterics (which does have a life of it’s own) and here we go again……. hosting them at the Emirates. Hopefully our players are better at shaking things off than we are because tonight’s game is a big one.

Finishing outside top 4 last season was described as an anomaly, but should it happen again we can expect the suits not to be too chuffed as we are seen as better than that. Rightfully so.

10 points off CL qualification means each game going forward falls in that ‘must win’ category, because that is key if we want to prevent the points gap developing into an unassailable chasm. So with little room for slip-ups it is now time to throw caution to the wind.

This of course is easier said than done as Pep’s boys are beaming with confidence. In de Bruyne, Agüero, Sanè and Sterling they have four players who has been a real pain in the neck for all comers this season. So defensively we need better awareness and organisation, each minute of the game, we also need to be more clinical in our finishing than in recent times, when presented the chances to score.

There’s no denying that Mancity is by far the most dominant PL team, and sometimes in these circumstances the rest need to have a look at themselves to try other ways than the norm to negate their threat. We have seen the odd game this season when the Oilers didn’t particularly liked it when being pressed. And we have attacking players who, when able to overcome their mood swings and inconsistencies, can be as good and devastating as the best when things click. For me that provide the hope that we can beat these lubed-up chumps tonight.

We have Monreal out, which will be a big miss, however we have Mkhi back and I don’t doubt him and the rest will be determined to respond to Sunday’s disappointment.

A bit of history is on our side as Mancity hasn’t won a game at the Emirates in over 5 years – the 13th of January 2013 was a long time ago – so fingers crossed the Ems faithful help the boys keep that going a bit longer.

Can Arsenal do it on a frosty Thursday night in North London…

The next Arsenal boss will be a head coach in a framework. I’m not looking forward to AW’s departure. But I am looking forward to a time when the club’s identity is a sort of permanent shared vision rather than the philosophy of whoever is in charge at the time.

To which I say, thank f**k that AW has been here so long, to be able to reshape the club from top to bottom. It’s not time to speculate about his future, but his biggest gift to AFC will be that identity – style of play and faith in young talent.

The consoling thing about his departure will be seeing his ethos inherited by a group of people. That would bring a sort of permanence to it, instead of passing the baton to one bloke who has his own way of doing things.

I’m thinking of Mourinho coming in at ManU and shitting over Ferguson’s legacy (yes, AF was a rule-bending, pragmatist and I can’t stand the man, but his football was generally positive), or Monk at Swansea, abandoning everything the club stood for, style-wise.

I’m also looking forward to a time when there isn’t a constant referendum on one man. If we’re bad in the future there will be a whole cast of characters to blame! Again, none of this is to say I’m looking forward to AW leaving. But I think he’s the last of a different era.

Stolen from birdkamp

Good morning bearers of the Positive flame,

Such are the risks of contesting the final of a competition, that the prize is tantalisingly within one’s grasp, and when one’s reach is not quite sufficient to make that final fingertip contact , so the disappointment is all the more acute. Wembley for the past seven seasons has been an almost perfect ground for us, so to experience defeat was an unusual taste.

In truth we were beaten by a better Citeh side yesterday and I have no complaints.The steepest defeat I have ever seen Arsenal suffer in a final. Our opponents were worthy winners and 3-0 was a fair record of their superiority.

Of the game itself ? Neither side started particularly well in a scrappy first half as we all saw. A  moment of inexplicable defending by Mustafi allowed Aguero to pounce but after that both sides traded footballing blows. The Sky Blues probably made the better of their possession but we had chances to strike, with our best work coming down the flanks. Jack and Fernandhino were clearly excited. At half time I had no concerns.

Second half ? Well they stepped up a gear and we were comprehensively pinned down. I thought we defended solidly but when we did manage to get the ball out our midfield foursome just could not build anything with those scarps of possession, or keep the ball. I felt that where in the first half we had an ‘out’ ball to the wings after half time our attacks became much more narrow, and passes  were cut out or misplaced as we tried to thread them through a very busy midfield. Even the usually immaculate Mesut appeared unable to pick out a team mate. PEA became increasingly isolated and we were reduced to the ‘long punt’ to make any sort of impression on the Citeh back line or to involve Bravo in the game.

Most ‘UnArsenal’ but Citeh worked very hard to contain us and to control the game. They had a confidence in that second half that we lacked. The inevitable happened and we cracked under the pressure, the result of great perspiration on their part. At 2-0 it was probably over, at 3 we were holed below the waterline and sinking to defeat.

I do not intend to engage in a witch hunt against individual players, coaches or our manager. Clearly we did not play to the standard that on other days we have managed, and will manage again. I thought Sead Kolasinac played well, as did Jack and Laurent. In spite of his early howler I thought Shkodran stuck to his work and made several good last ditch tackles.

We shall dust ourselves off, clamber to our feet and move on.

Enjoy Monday.