On Sunday morning Arsenal sat in 11th place, one point below the visitors who, as Scruz reminded us, have failed to win at our place for 24 years. This felt like another must-win game because a revitalised Everton are a rival for a European spot with the added piquance of being Mikel Arteta’s former club and their new coach, Carlo Ancelotti, being some people’s favourite for our vacancy in December (not least himself). There was the further incentive of a win taking us 3 points closer to the 5th placed Marshdwellers. Would our third game in seven days have any effect against opponents who had the luxury of fourteen days rest?
Mikel’s team selection predictably rang changes from Thursday’s selection with the return of Bellerin, Kolasinac, Ceballos, Özil and Nketiah. Kolasinac was the only change from the 11 who had started against the Magpies. Saka, though replete with the vigour of youth had earned a rest on the bench. Mikel was clearly hoping the midfield of Xhaka, Ceballos and Özil could reproduce the silkiness and dominance it displayed against the Magpies.
A fine late lunch with Bath Jnr at the usual place preceded a hopeful pilgrimage to the Clock End Upper where we sat in Row 7 directly above the goal. Unusually for us, we got there some 20 minutes before kick-off and watched the Arsenal warm up with interest as the chosen outfield plus Torreira worked with a ball in two teams of right-sided players vs left-sided players with Nketiah, Ceballos and Torreira joining whichever ‘side’ had the ball. Mustafi stood out (like a new signing) with his new silver rinse. After this, the two centre backs practiced long balls to each other while the other outfield players pinged balls around the edge of the penalty area culminating in shots on goal.
Of late, we have become accustomed to slow starts and even to becoming ‘a second-half team’ but people were still shuffling in when we found ourselves behind after 49 seconds. A very soft free kick was given for an innocuous looking challenge by Ceballos halfway inside our own half which saw Richarlison fall as if shot. The ball was launched high into our box. Luiz’s shoulder looped it goalwards and Calvert-Lewin’s overhead kick landed in the net with his boot brushing Luiz’s head.
0-1 Everton, 1 minute.
I wondered if that goal would have been disallowed for dangerous play had we scored that, especially away from home. Another factor was Kolasinac allowing himself to be pushed backwards by Mina to keep the Everton forwards onside as the free-kick was taken. Much later they unsuccessfully tried that ploy again with Ceballos who wasn’t having it.
In the Emery era, an early set back was generally followed by a spell of defensive jitters and midfield incompetence and sometimes by total collapse. No longer. The crowd were vocal as we proceeded to retain possession despite the Everton press and we probed relentlessly forward. Those slick passes around the box during warm up were coming into play leading to a Bellerin shot after 5 minutes from just inside the box but the excellent opportunity flew over. Immediately afterwards, regaining possession in our half, Ceballos put a forward ball through the Everton defence for Aubameyang to run onto but he was tackled by Sidibe as he went to square to the onrushing Nketiah.
Heads certainly hadn’t dropped and a brace of corners followed but Everton showed their new-found confidence with a rapid counter-attack ending in an Iwobi drive high and wide. The pacy Everton forwards were proving a threat as Mustafi had to make a careful challenge on Calvert-Lewin in the box after a simple ball over the top of our defence from their goalkeeper. In the main, however, our forwards’ pressing troubled the Everton defenders and our midfield screened our defence effectively while our forwards worked hard at their defensive duties when Everton had possession.
Fate played another card on 15 minutes when Kolasinac had to leave the pitch in shock, with his right arm in a sling after a mid-air collision with Sidibe. Clavicle fracture or shoulder dislocation? Time will tell. Saka left the bench to fill in at left back again. Again, heads didn’t drop. Our defence dealt with Everton’s press well, playing out generally to Ceballos who made forward balls to Özil in space or directly to a forward despite the attentions of the opposition. Özil was drifting across the field finding space and providing probing balls to the attackers yet it was largely possession without penetration until Nketiah fired over from a tight angle. Shortly afterwards at 25 minutes a move involving 10 players from our goal kick saw Pepe hit the target from 12 yards but his shot was gathered easily by Pickford.
The breakthrough came when a beautiful cross from Saka on the left touchline with Iwobi in close attendance was curled into the centre of the goal for Eddie Nketiah to steer past a statuesque Pickford. A goal that reminded me of Ian Wright and reminded True Storey of Thierry Henry. Eddie’s first PL goal at the Emirates. If Eddie can match either of those strikers long-term, we will be in clover. It was Saka’s 10th assist of the season. Clover indeed!
1-1, 26 minutes.
Seconds later Everton were in panic mode as Özil burst into the box but the ball was cleared for a corner. A resultant Richarlison break away was well managed by the Arsenal defence. Schneiderlin was then booked for pulling Eddie back on the halfway line. We were looking the better team both with and without the ball, Ceballos playing a lynch-pin role in the centre of midfield. A pass by Luiz down the inside left channel from inside our half through Everton’s high back-line for Aubameyang to run onto mirrored the earlier one by Ceballos. This time PEA14 left the defenders for dead and curled the ball past Pickford into the far corner. Eddie was in attendance for a square ball. There was no question of that nor of it being missed. Reminiscent of TH14. Cue somersault from PEA14 and wild celebrations in the stands.
2-1 Arsenal, 32 minutes.
I felt that we would push on from here as we pinged the ball around their box and pressed them to regain possession in their half. Everton looked rattled for a while. Once they regained composure, our defence dealt competently with their forays. Aubameyang and Pepe were drawing the Everton fullbacks infield giving space for our fullbacks to drive forward and pulling the Everton wide men into defensive positions.
Richarlison seemed lucky to stay on the pitch in the first of five added minutes after he lunged through Ceballos’ standing leg and put his forehead in the face of the remonstrating Bellerin but just a yellow card was waved after VAR discussion – probably correct. A rare corner for Everton in the 4th added minute led to an undeserved equaliser for the Brazilian bruiser. Baines’ corner was headed clear to the edge of the box to the waiting Siggurdson whose mishit shot looping back into the box was headed on by Mina and an aggressive looking lunge by Richarlison poked the ball under the hapless Leno.
HT 2-2
A sense of injustice at the half-time break was swiftly rectified. Just twenty-three seconds into the second half Aubameyang headed Pepe’s sweet curving cross from the right into the net from the penalty spot after our high press regained possession in the opposition half. PEA14’s tenth brace. Would today bring his first hat-trick?
3-2 Arsenal, 46 minutes.
Once again, I expected us to push on and seal the three points as we began again to press their defenders persistently, regain possession swiftly, stroke the ball around the pitch and probe for openings with Xhaka acting as a quarter-back pivoting the attack between right and left with some elegant long passes. As ever we were vulnerable to breakaways and Ceballos made one of many key defensive contributions stopping Richarlison’s breakaway at speed. Coming up to the hour mark, a ball across goal from Richarlison on the left was just missed by a sliding Calvert-Lewin due to the attentions of David Luiz. Ancelotti then substituted Gomes for Schneiderlin and Bernard for Iwobi.
Saka then had a crazy five minutes showing his inexperience by losing possession on a dribble out from deep, giving Calvert-Lewin a low shot from inside our box that Leno saved well. Two minutes later Saka did exactly the same thing again that fortunately was snuffed out by Luiz. Then mid-attack, he launched a pass from wide left, well inside the Everton half to Richarlison on the halfway line on the other side. Mustafi cut out the cross to Calvert-Lewin and the attack ended with a wild shot from Sigurdsson.
Whether this lifted Everton, or their subs had an impact, or the Arsenal legs ‘hit the wall’ is hard to tell, but the match began to change from 66 minutes. Everton pressed higher and we seemed to lose momentum bar a promising breakaway that ended with Pepe offside. In the last twenty minutes it began to feel that we were hanging on. Saka added to his earlier errors by collapsing in a heap as he approached halfway with the ball, losing possession and requiring a superb point-blank save from Leno as Bernard’s cross was headed down to Calvert-Lewin for a shot from five yards, Xhaka keeping him onside. Sigurdsson was then yellow-carded for a foul on Ceballos as he drove out of defence.
One sensed that fresh legs were required as we began to lose midfield dominance and fluidity. Nonetheless we still had bullets (unlike the mob up the road apparently). Ceballos curled a shot past the far post after a nice dribble into their box by Özil. He was replaced immediately thereafter by Torreira. Another close range save was required from Leno after Richarlison took possession of a Delph shot on the edge of the 6-yard box. The hardworking Aubameyang made the final clearance from the feet of Bernard.
With 12 minutes to go, the tightness of those muscles and the accumulating lactic acid was evident as we began to walk around with the ball and make short passes. The opposition sensed their advantage and yet another Richarlison ball from the left flashed past Calvert-Lewin and across the goal. Just watching from the stands, you could feel the exhaustion in Arsenal legs as they tried to continue the press or simply make up ground. Going for the equaliser, Ancelotti brought on Kean for Delph. We brought on Guendouzi for Özil to get some fresh legs. Mesut was given warm applause while Mikel Arteta encouraged his exhausted players to make one last effort.
We sat deep and hoofed the ball forward into space while our knackered forward-line watched it fly over their heads and prepared for the next Everton attack. The crowd sensed that the team needed help and cranked up the volume. Surprisingly our forwards summoned up the energy for a concerted press that regained possession from Sigurdsson at the edge of their box and Nketiah hit the bar in the 86th minute. If only that had gone in the final minutes would have been somewhat less enervating! Guendouzi won a few minutes relief in the corner by getting hacked down by Richarlison. Everton came forward again with a long ball from Gomes towards Richarlison that Bellerin couldn’t cut out. Leno sprinted 24 yards to hook the ball away from Richarlison’s feet. A minute later Leno was down injured after catching a cross, probably from the earlier tackle. It bought a welcome bit of rest for everyone.
Could we hold out for five added minutes? Eddie immediately went to a corner with the ball demonstrating our lack of creative energy. We then sat deep and challenged Everton to show what they could do. From a corner, an unchallenged Calvert-Lewin headed a Bernard cross inches wide. Seconds later the same player leapt high to meet a Richarlison cross but his effort was headed clear by Mustafi to Aubameyang who was unceremoniously knocked over by Gomes. A fourth card for Everton. You could sense the relief coursing through the Arsenal players for those extra moments of rest in the penultimate minute.
FT 3-2 Arsenal
This game saw a superb effort by the whole team with special mentions for Leno, Mustafi, Ceballos, Nketiah and Aubameyang and credit to Saka, Luiz and Pepe for their assists.
Sweet Caroline rang out. So good! So good! So good!
No Emery team could have achieved that result.
In his post-match interview Mikel said,
“The best thing is the spirit that we showed. That’s coming back from Europe, three games in seven days, concede a goal in the first minute – the way we reacted, the way we played for 60-65 minutes. It’s exactly what I want from my team. And again, the resilience that some of the players showed when they were absolutely knackered and they kept going and going and going and it’s exactly what I want.”
Arsenal are the only team in a European major league still unbeaten in any competition in 2020!
Excellent, Bath. I could feel the legs tire as the report progressed.
Bath,
Bath,
What a wonderfully comprehensive report. I kept feeling I was there and then realised I was but it was very much the game I saw! It’s funny that your experience of a game is conditioned by those around you and the focus you gain collectively. We were much exercised by why Richarlison was not sent off for his foul on Ceballos which from the North Bank Upper looked savage and ill-timed. From the TV showing ( it wasn’t shown on MOTD) I think a yellow was about right but I’m sure an Arsenal player at Goodison would have walked for it. The other half-time remark which remained in my memory was from the chap behind me who claimed that Xhaka was the most irritating person he knew ‘ even more irritating than his ex-wife’ ( although she cost him more ). I gave my views on Xhaka yesterday.
We had played three times in eight days, they had enjoyed a fifteen day break and that dictated the shape and trend of the second half. But we held on and most spectators would have enjoyed the spectacle . Especially if they were in red and white .
Nice report Charles. A thoroughly enjoyable game, with three cracking goals, but you could see us hit the wall on about 75 minutes, as you say. We had Leno to thank for keeping all three goals, though I thought he lacked a little bottle for their second goal. Bob Wilson would have dived head first to get the ball. But he more than made up for it in the second half. I thought Auba put in a remarkable shift. As well as his day job scoring goals he was often acting as an auxiliary left back. Mustafi excellent again.
I see Liverpool have arrogantly decided they will take Saka in the summer, as a back up for Robinson. Get that contract done Arsenal!
After the game we went south of the river to my daughter’s place in Clapham for a nice family dinner for the four of us.
Funny old place south of the river. I don’t like it.
Thanks guys.
I erred in omitting Özil from the list of players who merited special mention. Until he tired at the end he was in constant movement making himself available for balls out of defence, interchanging with Caballos and Xhaka and the forwards and probing the Everton defence whilst pressing, shielding and tackling when Everton had the ball. He was knackered when he left the field. That was one of his best games for us. Mesut is clearly another player benefitting from the Arteta treatment.
C100
I’m a Sarf Londoner by birth and Mrs TTG lived in Clapham until we were married.
My allegiances are always with the northern part of the metropolis ( well N5 anyway) but some of us Sarf Londoners ( those who have avoided marrying their cousins and devouring their young ) are of some merit 😃
“Arsenal are the only team in a European major league still unbeaten in any competition in 2020.”
We shall have to see if that is reported in any other media outlets.
Great report, Bath, and a huge 3 points keeping our upward trajectory on course.
baff, pretty much what i saw from behind the couch, especially in the second half; well done. auba’s was so henryesque you could probably overlay a video from each and get the same motions and result. i think eddie is more wrighty than thierry, and might even have a bit of smudger about him…
on tv richarlison’s foul on ceballos certainly looked red on first glance, but the replays show it was the slide that knocked dani’s ankles, not studs. i do note that richarlison was PISSED off, and used that energy to score his goal shortly thereafter. i have a friend who plays basketball that way (better when pissed off), so i always try to piss him off when he’s on my team 🙂
i agree about mesut. i’ve read about his failings for years, but this was a well-managed game from him. i’m doubtful he’ll start against olympiacos thursday as he looked so tired. but they all did!
C100@3: There was a time south of the river when only the clerics could read and write.
ned@8, yeah, all the way to the mediterranean…
Cheers Bath!
Always a gunner, but never lived north of the Thames whilst resident in the great metropolis (no longer obviously), unless you count Middlesex – Twickenham, which I don’t.
TTG and Esso I know many good folk who were born or resided south of the river including now my own daughter. She was living in Islington but found a shared flat midway between Clapham South and Balham tube which was twice the size of her flat off Upper Street for £200 a month less.
My main problem with south of the river is that, never having lived there, I never know what bloody lane to be in. I’ve lived in Crouch End, Highbury, Notting Hill, Shepherds Bush and Fulham and played cricket for Ealing so I’m pretty good in North and West London. Even with sat navs, if you don’t know what lane to be in, you’re stuffed driving in London.
Driving in south London is an absolute nightmare. It’s not just the lanes. Every bloody junction is congested because every bugger is on the road.
Elephant and Castle has to be the ugliest bit of the whole city. Utterly hideous. Don’t stay there Scruz, next time you come over.
I hate driving round that monstrosity. However it has one merit. Pappagone has opened a second restaurant “Pappagone Sud” there. I’ve not been there yet but part of the Stroud Green team have moved over to open it.
I’m beginning to think you have shares in that place Bath. But even Michelin three star cooking at £20 per head and free wine would not drag me to Elephant and Castle. Why on earth have they chosen that location?
No idea why rhey’ve chosen there but it’s been in the pipeline for a year. It’s not a place I’ve ever done anything but drive round it as quickly as possible.
i can’t say i expect i’ll ever stay south of the river, unless staying with friends further south in dulwich. thanks for the warning though; i went to look and it looks like the result of bad planning after being hammered in ww2. but: “Elephant and Castle is a fast-changing area with modern developments like the Strata tower, nicknamed the “Razor”. London South Bank University students hang out in night spots including hip Corsica Studios and iconic dance club the Ministry of Sound. The area is known for Latin American eats and there’s global street fare at Mercato Metropolitano food hall.” thank god for friends from which to hear the truth 🙂
kensal green and my brother-in-law’s flat does me just fine, thanks.
“it’s not a place I’ve ever done anything but drive round it as quickly as possible”
You weren’t the bloke in a Jag who cut me up yesterday were you?
Heh! Not me, guv! I didn’t venture south of the river yesterday.
Scruz
Don’t believe what you read. It’s a shithole.
i believe it, c100. looks like it in 3d…i can’t imagine it live 😀
Reiss Nelson comes from the Elephant and Castle.
Thanks Bath.
A report so good that TTG
named you twice @2 !
Nothing at all to disagree
with there or in the drinks
– The Elephant was always a
shithole
Good article about fanzines from Henry Winter including lots about the Gooner
If fanzines die, part of the game dies – they give fans a voice
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/if-fanzines-die-part-of-the-game-dies-they-give-fans-a-voice-k2x73k0jr
We’ll need to find a left back
solution for Olympiakos as Kola
looks likely to be out and Tierney
still 3 weeks away.
There’s a few square peg options
so hopefully MA can sort it out.
Another annoying Liverpoo win.
It’s been an enjoyable run of
failure for them in the league
but all good things come to an
end I suppose.
We will have the longest run
without a title of the big clubs
now 😢
On Auba, I broadly agree with
GSD as he has played mainly
on the left and been joint top
scorer last season and this
as well (auba that is not GSD,
though I’m pretty sure a dino
would be useful in a midfield
hard man role).
Seems Barca / Real are sniffing
round Salah and Mane as well.
I recommend they take one
each of them for fairness.
Possibly 23 games left in the
next 94 days if we make both
cup finals.
If Liverpoo are sill unbeaten when
we play them I think winning
that one would give me most
pleasure.
In fact as I have nothing else
useful to do a 10 point
wish list for MA by end May
– celebrate St. Totteringhams Day
– get Top 4
– win stupid Ropey League
– win at new Shite Hart Toilet
– stop the Mugsmashers
– get shiny FA Cup
– punch Maureen
– persuade Kroenke to sell club
– stop coronavirus
– world peace
Great report Bath!
Whatever may Arteta’s personal assessment of individual players be (and his desire to upgrade some of them), it is clear right now he is focusing on how best to leverage their existing strengths and avoid exposing their weaknesses. What an interesting idea! 🙂
With all the focus on our left side of the attack I think something potent is slowly brewing on the right side as well. Ceballos-Pepe-Hector had created a few promising moments, and I think a fitter sharper Bellerin running both outside and inside of Pepe will allow Pepe’s skills and speed to have more and more impact.
Some very funny comments about south of the river. 🙂 I know London only as a tourist, wouldn’t the area around Tate Modern and Globe Theatre qualify as “South London”? I get that both are relatively recent, but still … 🙂
Excellent report of the very game I saw, Bath. Made we wish I’d been there as planned. Three wins in a week is testament to the Arteta effect which is taking root nicely. Hopefully we’ll make it four from four on Thursday night.
I feared that we weren’t going to be able to hold on to the winning position. As you say, nearly everyone was tiring very visibly. You’re correct though, in the days of Emery, that was a game from which we would not have taken three points.
Matt, Saka or AMN are the likely starters at LB until Tierney is fit aren’t they? West Ham showed that they’re not a pushover despite their lowly position in the league (bit like us really 🙂 ).
Countryman, I bought the Gooner once and found a guy called spy in there absolutely lambasting Aresene Wenger and most things Arsenal. I never bought it again and won’t.
BtM,
Yes but there’ll be 6 or 7 games
till Tierney’s back. Saka has done
a sterling silver job of course but
no way he can play all of them.
Just idle speculation but MA
doesn’t seem to fancy AMN so
far so I was wondering about
the other options – Xhaka, Rob,
or A.N. Other
https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2020/feb/25/rather-than-ranting-about-var-why-not-focus-on-tackling-games-real-problems
I enjoyed this article from Liew.
Basically he’s saying we’re all
dim witted sheep.
Baaaa 🐑
Dr.F
You are quite right , those very upmarket places are south of the river and in fact many areas like Clapham , Balham, Tooting ( amazingly) , Dulwich and even parts of Brixton are becoming expensive and sought after . Chelsea and South Kensington are also South London too. But let’s not mention Croydon which is a place I cannot warm to .
Re the LB option I think Cedric is not fit enough to slot in but will be an option on either flank . I’m told one of the issues with AMN is that he doesn’t want to play as a full back but if I were him I’d rethink because he hasn’t got many other options . As a one off we might be able to use a CB there but we mustn’t overplay Saka . Tierney looks ahead of schedule
TTG. How are Chelsea and South Ken south of the river? Ignore the SW post codes, they are north of the river. That’s the dividing line.
I agree that there are many lovely spots south of the Thames. I would add Greenwich and Blackheath to your list. But south of the river is a cultural thing, a mindset.There’s not even a decent football team!
C100
You are quite right as they lay just on the other side of the river towards the west. I’ve always considered Chelsea to be Sarf London especially from a football perspective as many of their supporters come from South London but they are really part of the West London diaspora with Fulham, Brentford and QPR – four minnows!
I went to school in Streatham which was very posh then (1962-69) and most of the boys in my school who liked football ( a big number!) were either Chelsea or Palace fans . It was an all boy school and I didn’t speak to a girl for about five years which is why I am so shy with the opposite sex 😅
I’m just getting over it but it’s a bit late now ! Stable doors have long been bolted !
I went to school in Mitcham, which was
not posh, from 1973-77. Tooting was
at the time an even iffier shithole than
Mitcham so I’m amazed to hear it
described as sought after – usually those
words were just used about many of the
local residents.
@ Matt
But no different to previous absolute shit holes, like Stoke Newington and Hackney north of the river, now being sort after. The gentrification of London, except it is not really just a broken property market, has been universal.
CM100@24, that is indeed a very good article by Henry Winter about fanzines and their culture significance within the game. I am very sympathetic to the Gooner and hope it survives though I hadn’t bought one for years for the very same reason as BtM after several issues were filled with irrational and intemperate bile about our manager.
In fact I have bought the last two issues for their contents about the Guvna and was on the point of subscribing to ensure their survival a month or two ago when a link to their online content contained an article about our new coach which was reminiscent of the bile directed at Arsene Wenger. I think it was labelled a discussion piece and no doubt written to be deliberately provocative but I have no need to waste my cash on such utter nonsense. I already have too much to read in the time left to me.
If it is to survive in its current form, much like the BBC, the editor and management committee need to ensure the equal representation of points of view when contentious issues are discussed.
I always preferred One Nil Down, Two One Up. A much more erudite publication.
Esso,
Haven’t been to any of those
places in 25 years.
I’m curious where the locals
went, I suppose they were
just shifted a little further out.
You lose touch with people after
a long time away but the guys
I still see from when we were
kids all seem to live a bit
further out of London now.
Cheers for the report Baff. Very comprehensive and much appreciated as I watched the game whilst having a few beers and with company distracting me sufficiently that I can’t say I was watching as attentively as I might have.
Indeed, i missed their opener as i bought a pint and was pretty miffed to find us losing in less time than it took me to get a beer in.
Oh, and I was in South London. It is a mindset thing. My old man always told me it was a shithole and you couldn’t get a london cab to go south of the river ‘because that’s not proper London.’ Much like my beloved Arsenal, I try to get out of the place as soon as possible.
I did however get a few excellent pints of Bombardier, a very decent roast dinner and a big screen to watch Arsenal win on, so perhaps the place ain’t all bad.
Anyway, excellent result for us and long may our winning streak continue.
Nice pictures too Bath, and very on the spot photography in all cases. Did they let you in the tunnel or did a friend take them?
I noticed Tierney in the training photos the club released ahead of the Everton game, so he might be back sooner than later, even if Thursday is too soon. Xhaka would seem the best bet for emergency duty in the position if no regular left-back is fit. Plenty of availables to take his midfield role.
As for South London, former denizens say that while once they couldn’t wait to get out, today they couldn’t afford to buy their way back in.
Re: the Liew article @33. Brilliant stuff. 🙂 Thanks for the link, OM.
bt8@44, they’re all from my Twitter feed. The photograph in the tunnel was put on Twitter by the club. I thought that image nicely encapsulates the spirit that has been building in the team under MA8.
Thanks for a full bodied & interesting match report Baff – top stuff.
The last 20 mins were unbearable, the players legs had gone but their spirit remained undaunted – I’m sure they would have buckled in their souless performances at the dying embers of the Emery period. Arteta was right to praise them at the end of the match.
Great links above from Countryman & Osaka Matt – many thanks.
With regard to the South London discussion, I’ve been fortunate to be born & raised near the HOF and therefore everywhere north of the river is known and appreciated by me (excluding N17 of course). I have rarely travelled far south of river ( apart from 2 budding romances in my late teens where I was soon learnt the error of my ways 😉). Like much of the inner suburbs nowadays gentrification is spreading its tentacles further outwards.
Thanks for the VAR link, OM. It was an enjoyable read; artfully written but ultimately inconsequential. Jonathan Liew is one of the better football writers. I would have liked to have read his thoughts on what do about VAR or the bigger issues of reconnecting the civilly disconnected.
You’re very welcome bt8.
oh did I ?
I did – shameless poaching
Ned,
Yes, it was just a gentle moan and plea
for some perspective. VAR should be
a simple enough discussion really – to
give my totally unsolicited opinion – at
the end of the season.
– Continue or Not
– Scope for 20/21 (what it covers)
– Implementation (how it’s done)
– Communication (how to inform)
A well prepared meeting could knock
that out in an hour 🙂
An hour? Your optimism is touching, OM. 🙂
Osaka Matt,
It’s a small world especially when one is dragged up in South London! I lived in a couple of houses that were about a twenty minute walk to Sandy Lane where Tooting & Mitcham used to play. When I was seven my Dad went with my Grandad to see them play Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup . I had never been to a game and was very disappointed to be deemed too small to go. Tooting were in the Isthmian League, Forest in Dvision One. When it was the top division. Tooting were 2-0 up and Forest equalised courtesy of a farcical own goal and a penalty so dubious it might have been awarded by Mike Riley to ManUre at Old Trafford . Forest won the replay 3-0 and went on to win the FA Cup that season. That was THE great moment in Tooting and Mitcham’s history. A few years later I went to a London six a side tournament there . It was won by Arsenal and I got the autographs of two of the young Gunners ….Jon Sammels and George Armstrong!
Tooting was ( is) exactly as you describe. I drove back through it a few years ago and it is still the shithole’s shithole. Nevertheless it appears to be very popular with young upwardly mobile people because it is on the Northern Line and the Tooting Popular Front was established there by Wolfy Smith . Streatham was a highly desirable area enhanced by the fact that I was a schoolboy there but appears to have a major drug problem and a few weeks ago was the site of that terrorist incident,
matt@51, if you think any organization like the Prem or the PGMOL can (a) organize their thoughts as coherently as on your list, or (b) know how to process through those steps to get to a resolution *at all*, you’ve got a higher opinion of their abilities than i. let’s just put you in charge, then!
ttg@53, it’s not a surprise that tooting the northern line is popular with wolfie…i mean, really.
great article on our young saka: https://www.arsenal.com/news/bukayo-saka-my-own-words?fbclid=IwAR1q-tJpRPsb_xGMj-NzF22slI8lGRVMrJ-kwibCDo0adf0XZ8kZQX5sJtI
Great article is right, scruz. Saka is the real deal, the cat’s whiskers and all that, and he is in the prime of his life. Hasn’t fully realized what a phenomenon he really is. Let’s appreciate him for what he is giving us and hope Arsenal will sign him up on a long-term contract!!
Scruz@56, thanks for that link – a great read. Sounds like a highly motivated, grounded and intelligent lad with a supportive family. I sincerely hope that he is intelligent and grounded enough to sign a long term contract with the Arsenal rather than chase the cash at Manure or the current glamour at the Bindippers. He has a big future and I agree withBtM’s comment a week or two ago that we should build the future Arsenal team around him, Eddie and Martinelli.
CM100/Bath, I read that Gooner article by Winter earlier in the day and dropped in a rather irreverent comment (that’s unlike me, isn’t it?) under one of my many nom de plumes. Kevin Whitcher (whom ttg has referenced occasionally) replied fairly and politely but didn’t persuade me to buy another issue.
That’s a great article on Saka, Scruz. He has the potential to be the ‘next Cesc’ (no greater accolade possible from me). Can Arsenal manage a lifelong career for him at the Emirates? At least the only club DNA he has is ours – not anything remotely Spanish.
Gnabry! 0-1 in Chel$ki game at the Bus Stop.
Gnabry! 0-2 – come on Abramovich, chip in some stolen roubles so that the BaTBSiF can buy a win.
Bayern showing the massive gulf in class between 4th in the PL and 1st in the BL.
That Bayern LB is almost as good as Saka!
Lewandowski! 0-3. Come on Bayern, make it 5-0.
Seem those first two goals by the G man. Them goals wuz good.
Pity about that knee injury just as he was being hailed as the ‘find of the season’ at Arsenal. Changed the course of history……..
BtM@67, I’d forgotten that and it understandably derailed him somewhat leading to the frustration that made him leave.
The fact that Pulis didn’t rate Gnarby when he was loaned to West Brom tells you all you need to know about Pulis.
Wenger wanted to keep him after the West Brom debacle, but that and a belief that it would be difficult to break into the Arsenal first team (we had Santi, Sanchez, Ozil, the Ox, Feo, Ramsey, Wilshere and Iwobi bidding for attacking midfield places and had just bought Xhaka) made him decide to return to Germany to pick up his career there. Of all the youngsters that have passed through the academy, he can be most said to have been ‘the one that got away’.
I missed the second half of Chelsea-Bayern but just saw the Lewandowski goal assisted by Alphonso Davies. Like men playing against boys.
*congratulates self for not getting drawn into the discussion of Mustafi’s new hair color*
Was there one?
TTG,
‘‘Tis a small world indeed. I went to
see Tooting in the FA Cup in the 70’s
and a friend of mine played for them in
the 80s. The stadium fit well with the
local surroundings though they’ve
moved now to Morden. Though not
in Tooting or Mitcham it is another
utter shithole on the Northern Line
so they at least have that thread of
continuity.
Growing up round there was a formative
experience to put it nicely 🙂
scruz, Ned
I did say “should and could” 🙂
I’m fairly sure that actually
they’ll have some sort of half-
arsed consultation process then
fuck it up all over again.
That seems more than likely, OM.
Gnabry’s impressive start to the season resulted in a nomination for the 2013 Golden Boy Award, and a new five-year contract with Arsenal. Gnabry missed most of the 2014–15 season due to a serious knee injury which kept him away from the first team for over a year. However, he captained and played 65 minutes for the Arsenal U21s as they beat Newcastle United U21s 2–1 in February 2015.
On 7 August 2015, Gnabry joined West Bromwich Albion on a season-long loan to gain first-team experience. He made his debut as a substitute in a 3–2 defeat to Chelsea on 23 August 2015. In January, he was recalled from his loan after lacking first-team action at West Brom. He finished the 2015–16 season with a Premier League appearance and two League Cup appearances.
Steve T and I watched him play in an U-23 game at the Emirates when he came back from Mordor. He was ‘weighty’ and far from being the machine that he was before his injury. As Ned says, Arsene wanted to keep him.
All the signs were there. It’s no surprise he’s shooting the lights out at Bayern.
Thanks for that link BtM. It’s easy to see the lad’s quality in that one match. No wonder Arsene wanted to keep him even after several months just eating stodge on the West Brom bench.
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