Remember when you were small (or in Chary’s case, smaller)? Morning break – out came the football, lunch break, – out came the football, after school – out came the football. At weekends, a game Saturday morning and another in the afternoon, often playing until dark in summer. 
Young Big Raddy slots one past a concerned Kelsey
What is the relevance of my opening paragraph? Well, it is the complete tosh talked about Chelsea having to play 3 big games in a week. These men are honed athletes who spend their lives doing something they love and are trained non-stop to do so. If I can play 30+ hours a week as a 12 y.o. then they can manage under 5 hours as adults. Am I right or am I right?
Chelsea have one of the biggest squads in World football. They have a World Cup winner and the most expensive player ever in the PL on the bench! They have Essien on the bench, who IMO has been the best DM in the PL since PV4. But they moan about how the FA have been harsh. If the FA was harsh Meireles would be banned for being so damned ugly and frightening the horses.
It is true Chelsea will be missing some players through injury but who in their right mind would play Luiz ahead of Cahill against Arsenal? Ivanovic is banned but they have a €21m replacement in Boswinga (yes, €21m !!). Rumour has it that Drogba is out, and we all know that Drogba loves to play us, but in Torres, Sturridge and Kalou they have some very expensive and talented replacements.
Playing Barca on Tuesday will certainly be on their minds, however, should The Blues fail to win at Camp Nou and this afternoon they are likely to play a regular Thursday night game. So, this is a huge game for them and I expect nothing less than 100% effort and a full first team.
Knocking 5 past them at the Bridge was great and JT’s slip was one of the season’s highlights. However, under Di Matteo they have developed into the Chelsea of Ancelloti. Hard, physical, highly motivated and disciplined; we are unlikely to score 5 today. That Terry continues playing at all with 2 cracked ribs is a testament to the man. I have broken ribs skiing and could hardly breathe, how JT plays football is astonishing. I hope RvP gives the brute a couple of digs early on and then TV clatters him at a set piece. Actually, give Diaby a few minutes – he will sort him out 🙂
Our problems start and end with Arteta. His absence is statistically worrying (we have yet to win a PL game without him) but we showed against AC Milan how good we can be if we really attack from the first whistle. That said, we have shown a weakness to very fast counter-attack and Chelsea are certainly capable in that area.
My Team:
Will Mr Wenger give an out of form Gervinho another start? I wouldn’t. I would start with O-C and tell him to attack Boswinga and then cut inside. On the other wing we have to hope Theo gives Cashley a tough afternoon. Cole has been the best LB in the PL history and it is a huge regret that he took the 30 pieces of silver.
I have said before that if RvP scores today then we will win. In my opinion, he is the key player. His shooting has been a little off recently but he is The Man, and if we are to take 3rd spot Robin has to keep scoring until season’s end.
Today’s Gooner: With the Olympics coming up and high hopes for Diving medals, it should not be forgotten that the man in the diving form of his life is a huge Gooner: Ashley Young of the Manchester Diving Team. It is hoped that he and Mr Wayne Rooney will represent GB in the Men’s Synchronised 10m Diving team. Given their past record, a podium position is assured. Vital game for both teams today.
Arsenal must shrug off the disappointment of Monday and play without fear. If and it is a big If, Chelsea do suffer from fatigue we must punish them in the final 15 mins.
I believe we can beat the South West London Ponces.
COYRRG
Written by Big Raddy
Arsenal News 24/7
arsenalarsenal.net 
Nice Raddy, thank you.
Too true about Luiz. When he went off on weds, I thought that’s bad news.
Definately agree on Ox over Gerv out wide, but I think AW might pull a surprise in midfield.
Harsh on Kelsey, I feel.
He had his hair and looks on his mind even as a young lad 🙂
Rasp,
This music thing is getting personal between you and Big Daddy now, isn’t it. Very quick!
I understand the issue that people have with players moaning about fatigue etc but at this very high level, if you play 3 games in a week and the other team has one then they are going to be fresher than you and that can make a huge difference in a game where matches can be and are settled by the tiniest of fractions.
I imagine only a few of the Chelsea players who played on Wednesday will be starting the game. After all, as you have already pointed out, they have multi million pound replacements on the bench. Im hoping that Terry, oops i mean Di Matteo, picks a side with a lot of these expensive replacements ie Bosingwa, Bertrand, Romeu, Essien, Malouda, Torres, Kalou etc as this should make Chelsea disjointed and unorganised.
SGG. Tosh. You are being brain-washed by the media who ply you with falsehoods. 🙂
That said, if I were Di Matteo I would rest Fat Frank. The others are young men. I hope Ramirez is also rested as he is a fine player.
Rasp. Fine work. Lovely song and do you notice she is playing in open tuning (sounds like E)?
Morning Raddy,
I believe she played all her songs with the same open tuning (Parking Lot) primarily because she could hardly play at first and just experimented with chords etc – the result was that her music hadf a special character.
There is something very spooky about the quietness on here today. Naturally, I’ll take it as a positive omen.
Off out.
I really hope he starts Diaby in place of Arteta – Diaby is a class act who has had his career wrecked so far because of one wreckless w-anchor tackle.
Diaby has been unfairly compared to PV – i actually see the Arteta role suit him more.
Attacking from behind song and rosicky, diaby can win ball and make quick passes – he can also stride into space and has a wicked shot.
I just hope he could last 60 mins and go off uninjured.
With the OX – the big problem is that you can’t take him off – when he comes on as a sub its a shot in the arm for the team and fans but when you take him off (even if he is playing crap) it is met with boos and the team and player replacing him gets slated.
I think our fans need to mature their relationship with him or they will destroy him.
If ramsay starts the fans should be patient – he is very close to being a lampard-esq scoring midfielder – he will have 3 or 4 seasons of scoring 15-20 goals so lets hope it is with us.
Gibbs or Santos – Chelsea will attack the hell out of that side so Wenger needs to judge what left sided attacker will best support our fb and / or nullify theirs
can’t wait for the game…
Nice one Raddy. Not sure about mentioning the pair of ladies front bottoms at the end. I gave away my ticket and now I’m so quiet i probably could have gone 😦 Too late now.
BD,
Aged 11 i could run for 4 hours non stop playing football.
Aged 27 i can barely run a bath.
This is why i believe that 3 games in a week does make some difference. It may not be as big as the media make out, but it can still be enough to swing a game.
On another note, Im looking to make my first trip to the Emirates next season and was wondering what is the easiest, and preferably cheapest, way to obtain tickets?
We’re back already, which means we are much better bicyclists than either LB or Big Daddy.
We hope Gerv is not starting. He lacks stuff.
good call on the line up BR.
Good to see Chelsea making loads of changes. We need to get at the likes of Bosingwa, Romeu and Bertrand and im sure Terry will struggle with RVP. Arsenal win all the way.
Slim,
Does that mean Ox starts. 11/11 for Big Daddy?
Good article Big Raddy.
What is the relevance of my opening paragraph? Well, it is the complete tosh talked about Chelsea having to play 3 big games in a week. These men are honed athletes who spend their lives doing something they love and are trained non-stop to do so. If I can play 30+ hours a week as a 12 y.o. then they can manage under 5 hours as adults. Am I right or am I right?
I have seen on here and other Arsenal sites many times, people complaining about Arsenal having to play several more games than any other team and also using this as an excuse that we have to play 3 games in a week as to the likes of lower EPL teams playing just the one.
Now the boot is on the other foot I see bloggers saying that Chelsea are whinging. Double standards.
Come on Queens Park Rangers this afternoon. I bet even Chas will want them to win.
We have a weak bench this afternoon.
2-1 to the ARSENAL
Come off it VCC,
Double standards and hypocracy are absolutely in order when knocking the opposition on match day.
Great team.
Nice call BD.
Cannot foresee any problems today.
it is a bit eerie i must say?
this is a 6 pointer, if there ever was a cup final…..This is it!!
Cmon Qpr, Vamos
COYRRG!!!
thanks Big Daddy 🙂
Hi Micky. Just saying the truth.
Right, I’m over the moon with the pre match. Fantastic
Happy enough with the team selection.
Lets get at ’em.
COYRRG
i think the chemistry between the fans and our players will be a deciding factor in a game that could just see us turn the corner……just saying….
VCC, I have blinkers on 🙂
There’s rURp and Sharkey in the house as well. That’s good.
Back at half time.
Come on you Gunnnnnners
VCC. I have never nor will ever be anything other than biased.
COYRRG
COYRRG….top pre match Raddy (altho clearly not a pic of your youth, how do i know? ……cones not jumpers for goalposts) 😀
COYRRG
Torres very blond, no good
Kelsey,
We’re attacking the North Bank first 😦
Song and Rambo both lost out when they needed a shout of man on.
RvP would have buried that chance a moth ago.
And Song needs to remember we play in red
GIE. & and photo is in coulour
Ramsey is having a nightmare. He wants way too much time on the ball and his movement is really poor, still trotting up to other players to take the ball off their feet. Get him off and put Coquelin on ASAP
we look a bit rubbish
We have the speedsters – let’s use them
Can Ramsey actually run – all I’ve seen him do is trot about, he’d be much better playing further up the pitch.
Sounds like the Wigan result is still in the heads of our players…
very cagey 😦
too many holes in MF
Bit dull. We had better chances and RvP should have scored from the Walcott free-kick.
We need to get Chelsea on the back foot which means Song and Ramsey have to move the ball faster.
TR our best player of the half.
Dreadful first half, our midfield is not functioning at all. The Ox is having to come infield to even get the ball.
MF is being packed by Chelsea, but we are not offering enough options wide, and if we do it’s back to goal so need to turn which Chelsea fullbacks and wide players are too high.
The whole midfield and forward line needs to drop ten yards back to give us running space forward….or at least momentum forward when we have the ball (so players are receiving the ball in flight).
Too much room between our defence and midfield. Chelsea doing well to fill up channels with blue shirts.
We cannot afford to over commit.
Not sure why Ox didn’t push that counter attack ball past Bosingwa….altho was clever defending.
Rasp, I think that one has to be looked at the other way, we need width do if our wide men come infield it makes it easier for Chelsea to defend. If you watch United in possession the only time wingers come infield is when the ball is in the 18 yd box or when in possession. Both Theo and Ox must hug touch line all half no matter how little they see the ball.
It`s hard to say anything positive about Ramsey, he seems to be a little boy lost. He lacks pace, he gets caught on the ball far to often and he adds no dimension to the team.
AW needs to make a statement and replace him at halftime.
But then again I guess some folks will see him as the MOM.
GIE
I thought the same about the ox chance He gave bosingwa the cance to get the ball. If that had been Ramsey or Gerv they’d be getting slaughtered. I can see us losing this
Its all down to AW to make the right subs at the right time. I can’t believe that either Diaby or Coquelin wouldn’t do better than the central midfielders today. I bet he takes the Ox off rather than Ramsey.
You’ve all made my points for me.
Evonne,
His hair is not long enough yet to have restored all his powers. Still more Delilah than Samson.
More width. Coq on for AR. Let’s do it.
Rasp,
That’s a very doomy thought indeed 😦
GiE, my point about the Ox coming infield to get the ball was not to say that it is a good thing just that our central midfield is not getng the ball out to him or Theo quickly enough. Yes absolutely we need width, their rookie LB Bertram should be put under pressure.
On Rambo he is taking too many touches, my guess through lack of confidence/form.
“ball coming……get possession…..control it…..now who’s on….not him….too late….lost it”
Whereas it should be:
“ball coming…who’s on….one touch….pass”
Maybe he has lost confidence earlier on in the season he tried lots of unrewarded first time passes/flicks.
Very poor game so far,though RVP should have scored. With so much at stake will Chelsea change the line up that much in the second half.
Ramsey has been getting a lot of stick recently and his game today has been poor,too much hesitation,wouldn’t be surprised to see Diaby come on for ramsey and Gervinho for the Ox mid way in the second half. I agree if at all one goal might settle it for either side.
Well if he’s out of form, don’t play him.
On a positive not we are creating chances…chelsea are not!
We will win this.
@ BR
thanks for the pre-match
*note
On the balance of the way they’ve attacked us, I’d say a chav win is the more ikely
god i love sagna, he is a brilliant defender! He had a bad one against wigan but that very very rarely happens
The way we play and slow the ball down in midfield and compress our game in their half makes us so vulnerable to being hit on the break.
i see a red in this game 😦 so much at stake…
Bloody stupid about Walcott. Take him off immediately. Why take a risk?
I would take the ox off and put Diaby on
awake from your slumber…BEAST!!!
COYRRG!!
Yea Diaby, let’s se what he can do
hopefully malouda RuVP.
come on DIABY!!!
@ BR
agreed, a strain has now turned into a likely pull, stupid risk that shouldn’t have been taken!
Diaby instead of Rosicky!!!!!
Rosicky has not been well Micky
santos for ox, thats a touch questionable
Diabt already looking like our best midfielder
have to attack through bosingwa now!
agreed oz,
this is it boys…how bad do you want CL next yr?
give it your all
Come on Arsenal!!
come on diaby for the Arteta like Thunder bolt!
what a fuckin ball!!
Robin you wont get many chances like that in a game like this…hmmm
Arsenal Arsenal!!!!!
torres needs to play at arsenal, he is such a waste there!
he didnt back himself first time…damn
RVP what in the hell kick it!
well done kozzer…legend
chelsea have conceided more in the last 15mins then any other team. hopefully again!
shit shit shit shit!!!!!!!!!!!
Our midfield lacks pace and invention, we need a playmaker badly.
come on stoke and QPR!
We need a match report, peaches is unwell and I have work, so a volunteer would be much appreciated.
Rasp,
agree 110%.
Robin desrves an inventive and precise player to play closer to him..what an anti-climax!! but could have been worse..shit load of yellows..draw suits us better than them, Qpr loss hurts badly now!!
lets hope some other teams do us a few favours….
We had the chances to win and win easily.
As I said in the Post, RvP was the key figure. He played poorly, snatching his shots and creating nothing.
It is al well and good complaining about the midfield but we didn’t concede and Robin was given chances, all created by the midfield.
Unlike Rasp, I thought Ramsey had a good game. Yes, he slowed the game down but he improved hugely in the second half when Diaby came on.
Defence were very solid and Chelsea didn’t have one clear opportunity. Kos & TV immense.
We were the better team and hit the woodwork twice (again). Luck has deserted us at the moment.
Poor performance, but a VERY good point given the goal difference between us and Spuds.
It feels like we’re limping towards the finish line and it’s going to be touch and go whether we make it.
Our man of the match IMO was Gibbs through the ninety minutes. We never make it easy on ourselves. can’t remember a game with so many missed placed passes.Diaby was obviously not match fit and it showed.
You have to question Wenger to an extent that from the start the players as a team didn’t look up for it. Why ?. Chelsea defensively in general held us comfortably and could have gone for the win, or are they thinking they will win the CL and not worry about finishing in the top 4.Torres really is out of sorts and Sturridge had a really poor game.
Sorry Shirley, don’t agree with a lot of your comments.
Well if you had asked me before we played City how many points I would like from the two big games of run in I would have taken 4 points. But that was without knowing we would lose to Wigan.
So I’ll take the point today but it really is nothing less than 9 points from next three games. Gonna be difficult, some players running on empty and numbers dropping again.
MotM for me goes to Kozzer for two fantastic last ditch tackles and trying to keep the team moving forward.
Thought Rambo improved in the second half….good to see Diaby get through unscathed, and also Gervinho carried some threat.
For me that’s a penalty too.
I really don’t know what to say after that…other than thank God we already have the points in the bag (5pt lead) and the others have to catch us.
We still look very good for 4th , but we’ll need to do better to hold third.
We’re almost relying on the competition doing worse than us in the remaining games, based on our approach today.
Coquelin would have been a better sub then Gervinho today…yes even out on the wing !!!
kelsey. And I I totally disagree with yours :-).
We were never in trouble throughout the game. . Who wasn’t “Up for it”?
Yes, there were lots of mis-placed passes but playing a 10 man defence that is inevitable when trying to be creative.
As to Chelsea, they came for a point and they got it, but if RvP had his shooting boots on then they would not.
I think a bit of last seasons “let’s not lose” mentality came back rather than going all out for the win.
Although we have been done by Chelsea on the counter so many times in the past I am not surprised the team were cautious.
Put Robin in an ice bath then send him off for 2-3 days sunshine therapy somewhere.
As i said earlier, Newcastle and Spurs will both drop points before the end of the season. We have a decent run-in against sides who are in no danger and i fancy us to win our last 3 games and secure third. This will turn out to be a good point by the end of the season i think, but we could so easily have had all three had our finishing been better.
Sorry Rasp, no can do.
I missed most of the second half (taking son to basketball) and was following the game here on AA.
Nearly had a heart attack when Oz posted “shit shit shit” as I thought the Chavs had got a late one.
That’s an OK point – and Diaby’s return is a real boost for the run-in.
Overall a bit dull. Chelsea of old with their sit back and defend attitude and RVP not at his best. Thought Ramsey recovered well after an awful start. We failed again due to a lack of tactical variety, All we can really do is change man for man instead of maybe changing formation and just trying 4-4-2 at half time when you can see robins not getting any joy on his own.
haha sorry Rocky, my mistake
@ BR 2.59
couldn’t agree more!
@ RA
cheers for that comment yesterday, much appreciated
Excellent point Barum.
It would have been nice to bring on someone like Podolski to play up front with RvP towards the end.
not sure i like this cutting back every time either. RVP had a lot of success a while back when walcott or gervinho charged to the line a crossed it in low. Unlike him with the offsides today, normally he times it to perfection. Still nothing will compare to ‘mr offside’ himself adebayor
IMO. If there was a fault, it has to lie with the attack.
Once again, we created nothing on the left which meant Walcott had to be the man to get behind the last man. He didn’t do it at all. FairPlay to Chav’s LB who had a fine game but why can’t we have some left sided threat?
Following on from my complaint about lack of left flank thrust, the obvious place to attack Chelsea was on the left at Boswinga who is poor.
Excellent pre-match report Raddy. You always surprise us with a new angle – top stuff.
Disappointing game but still a vital point. The biggest worry for us is the seriousness of Theo’s injury. With a goal or an assist in every other game in the PL, we really need him back asap.
We are crying out of for a man who can play just behind RvP and create danger with him, for him and on his own. Could Diaby be the saviour of our season? The next few games will not be for the faint-hearted!
Toon winning….will really put pressure on Spuds….which is a good thing right?
Rasp, sorry cannot do a match report today.
If we are relying on Diaby then things really have gone bad. Good point about the left wing, Ox kept coming inside leaving Gibbs to play as full-back and winger, which he did excellently by the way…but could’ve done with some help.
Too true TA….if Chavs make it to CL final we HAVE to finish 3rd
barum, ‘oh the sweet uses of adversity’
A worrying thought GiE! Come on Cesc!!
If ever there was a game where we need another clinical striker it was today.RVP was a bit wayward but looks tired.Gervinho brings nothing to the attack .Wenger said the boys were still smarting from the loss to Wigan, but it shows we don’t have the quality on the bench to change a game.
The last few games the most likely to score has been Vermaelen and today Kos. Worrying times.newcastle are flying but have to play Chelsea.4th now loks more conceivable than 3rd.We are running out of games.
TA,
We are crying out of for a man who can play just behind RvP and create danger with him, for him and on his own.
I think you are describing Gotze!!!
Im a little confused as to why people are talking about 3rd as though its not going to happen. It is in our own hands and 7 points will be enough to get it IMO.
Spurs are playing awful at the moment and if they drop points tonight they are really struggling.
Newcastle are playing well but there last 3 games are Chelsea, Man City and Everton and our GD is far superior.
Chelsea have other things on there mind aswell as a tough run-in.
We have the points on the board and a relatively gentle run-in against teams playing for nothing.
Keep the faith people. We are in prime position for 3rd!
I actually thought Gerv looked quite bright playing across the front line when he came on….popped up in a few dangerous positions.
But long and short is we are a threat to Chelsea, they felt a point is more valuable to them in the race for 4th, it still keeps pressure on those above them and they played accordingly.
Even City and ManU would have had difficulty breaking through that defensive bus formation.
SGG last season we were in prime position to make an assault for the title in February yet we ended up 4th.
We are right to be cautious and we definitely shouldnt think 3rd is a done deal, neither should the players.
We have three tough games to play yet.
Stoke are always Stoke……we must be ruthless next week…Norwich at home will be anything but a cake walk, and I hate last games of the season away from home WBA will be looking to do something to send their home fans away brightly for the summer break.
We should have won today. Without playing well we certainly had enough chances.
SGG,
Excellent comments and perspective
GIE,
if we don’t perform in the last three games, we don’t deserve to be in the CL.
The in-game comments reminded me of being at the game. Everyone moaning, just like at the Emirates. So much for the new supportive spirit at the ground. Non-existent today.
Third is by no means in the bag, there are all the hallmarks of our traditional late season collapse – losing our best midfielder, can’t score and some players looking whistfully towards the end of the season and moving away perhaps?
Who put the ball in Tottnum’s net, Arfa, Arfa.
Who put the ball in Tottnum’s net, Arfa f*ckin Chelsea.
Put it this way, if we made 8 changes and played away at Chelsea would we win ?. I am disappointed that though Chelsea decided to settle for a point, made even more obvious by their substitions we lack that urgency and fluency of pass we had a few weeks ago.Apparently Walcott is out for the last three games as well.
it will be a struggle to get third IMO
Kelsey
I think third is almost a certainty. Chavs 4 pts behind even if they win game in hand
Barcodes have to play
Wigan a
Chavs a
Shitty h
Everton a
Chavs
QPR h
Newcastle h
bindippers a
blackburn h
Spuds
QPR a
Bolton a
Villa a
Fulham h
We have
Stoke a
Norwich h
WBA a
We really have to fuck up to lose third
There’s some talk that Theo has played his last game for us.
Hi gm, we may have to buy more players this summer than expected by the look of the performances today?
Apart from Mc who else could drop 8 players ans remain competitive but how about this (with fit squad)
Chesney
CJ. JD. Merts. Santos
Diaby. Arteta. Wilshere Arshavin
Chamakh. Gervinho
There are many permutations
I just cannot believe that Wenger left Ramsey on the pitch for the entire game, he started poorly and just got worse. He confirmed everything that I said about him earlier in the week.
That was just like watching Barcelona…..but without the pace.
Rasp. One good striker is enough.
GM. Is there a suggestion that Theo will be sold?
Losing comments again
Raddy, you know I meant available players.
We won’t agree on this. You are aweful, but I like you 🙂
What’s that GM about Walcott, is he in the Olympics 🙂
Have to agree purely on the day with NG why ramsey wasn’t replaced.
Theo has to sign a new deal. They may not want to pay what he wants.
Yeeeeeeeeeeeeesssssssssssssss
GM @5.33 top comment – that’s the spirit. 🙂
A point today was not what we wished for, but it is SOOOOO much better than losing today.
NG – Ramsey’s second half performance was good – he improved.
See, Chamakh might have done us a big favour when he smoked a special pipe together with Taarabt – he knows how to win friends and influence people 🙂
Sorry TA, I can’t agree. He only appeared to improve because he got less of the ball.
Maybe we should have kept Swiss Phil. He scored today.
NG. You will not be surprised that I agree with TA.
That’s all-right NG. We all see different things. For example, Raddy thought Rosicky was our best player in the first half, and I thought he was the main reason we had no fluency and pressure on Chelsea. Who knows who is right. Makes good blogging though! 🙂
Oh dear, I have done it now! Raddy 😳
Rasp
You may be right about needing players
It’s a jink when we kick towards the north bank first half .
TA it is always interesting to read your views even when you are wrong 🙂
Hi Folks……Oh joy, I didn’t watch the match today, I went swimming instead. Much better for my health according to all your reports. Anyway, I’ll watch ‘Match of the Day’ and see if I can draw any positives from it. I don’t feel like rubbishing any of the players, I feel too relaxed.
We need QPR to hold out and do us a massive favour
10 mins into the Clasico and already at least 6 dives. top entertainment!
QPR down to 10 men, Taarabt sent off
Well done Spuds. We can always rely on you in our hour of need.
We’re effectively 4 pts ahead of the Spuds if (big IF) they win their game in hand. We’re effectively 1 pt ahead of Toon if they win theirs (in both cases thanks to our goal difference).
Haha, in effect only dropping points to Newcastle makes it not such a bad day after all. 🙂
How stupid do you have to be to get a second yellow for kicking the ball away. Taarabt may be a good player but he is mini-Balotelli.
But QPR did us and the others a big favour and only the Spurs can screw up in such style. They are a laughing stock 😀
Just been on some Spurs websites.
Really cheered me up
We’re actually level with Toon if they win their game in hand, aren’t we?
But they’d also have to make up a GD gulf.
All together now:
“ohhhhhhhhhhhhh wheeeeeeeeeeen thhhhhhhhhe wheeeeeeeeeels
ohhhhhhhhhhhhh wheeeeeeeeeeen thhhhhhhhhe wheeeeeeeeeels
Oh when the wheels come falling off
I wanna be at the sh*thole
When the wheels come falling off”
I
Wading through a paracetamol haze I notice that no-one has offered to write a match report – I really don’t feel well enough to come up with something this time …………………. anyone feel they can offer anything for tomorrow?
With 3 games left it’s in our own hands to finish 3rd.
If we win all 3 games we end up with 74 points only Newcastle can match us and they are 13 goals adrift in goal difference.
Spurs can only get a maximum of 71 points and Chelsea only 70.
It’s laughable but since we beat them Spurs have only won 6 points out of their last 27 = 22%.
GiE
That was my point. We’re ‘effectively’ a point ahead of Toon (thanks to GD).
Peaches. Dont worry. If there is nothing in drafts by early morning i will write a few notes, though I am not the best summariser, am I TA?
Thanks Raddy, summarising shmummarising – do your best 🙂
I would say 5 more points would give us CL football next year and 6 would give us 3rd.
Chelsea are pretty much out of it after today’s result and with tough games to come and the possibility of either a devastating loss or distracting final in the CL, they will not win all 4 of their remaining fixtures to finish above us.
Spurs are imploding at the moment, and even though they have an easy run in, they would need at least 3 wins and a draw plus a 6 goal swing to be above is at the end. Just doesnt seem realistic to me.
Newcastle are the form team and could pip us to 3rd, but with inexperience and a tough remaining schedule, 3 wins from their last 4 would be needed to top us. A tough ask.
It’s going to be tight, but at least 4 points could be all that’s needed from games against Stoke, Norwich and West Brom. With Wengers experience, I can’t see us slipping up.
SGG,
The only way Newcastle can pip us is if we lose or draw a game.
For your entertainment….
http://triffictottenham.co.uk/vent-your-anger-here/#comments
Thanks Rasp haha
What are you on about Raddy? Your summarising is the bees knees! 🙂
Spot the spuds
http://soundcloud.com/darylsounds/mind-the-gap-by-goonerman2
Had to fly out at final whistle, but just popped in to say:
ha ha ha he he he
Laugh a minute that lot down the road.
Join you all in the morning. Giggle giggle 🙂
Best moment of the game today….The Verminator clattering Terry to thr floor. top gooner !
That was good Barum….but bettered by Kozzers Kung fu clearance off Sturridges toe.
If RvP hadn’t been on fire this season Koscielny might just have been my Player of the Season.
Quality work Chas.
The Spuds at QPR…oh dear. even the toddlers are taking the piss
*The two spuds*
Oh and ‘never should have sold Crouch’…..lol
I completely forgot about that barum. When that happened I lost it, how many people around the world would have loved to do that to Terry?!
‘Shit i’m not going to make it to the ball, oh well there’s terry, better sink the shoulder in!’
Agree GIE Koz has been excellent. Dare I say better than tv. I think we have the makings of a very good defensive unit. I am very positive that this squad with one or two additons will win silverware.
Oz. so true, Cant deny Terry is a great defender but such a complete and utter disgrace of a human being.
Spurs HAHAHAHAHA
barca HAHAHAHAHA
cesc HAHAHAHAHA
Chavs HAHAHAHAHA
rdm said it is great to get a point away to Arsenal. Wigan got 3 on Monday you bald headed little wanker
Everyone a bit slow this morning.
Must be two games in six days 🙂
Victory, when Tommy V, clattered Terry, ooooo eeeee.
http://arsenalist.com/video/?id=xq9xbq
How brilliant would it be if the season ends with Arsenal and Newcastle top four and anyone but Chavs winning the CL 🙂
1 point out of six at home, but things could be worse………you could be a spud.
Hahahahahahahahahahaha
Hi Chas
I’m up early so will do the match report.
Morning all.
Chas you have found me a positive 😀
Chas,
I saw your comment about the crowd as well as comments on here. I think the one’s on here were all tactical observations and legit and it is different commenting here to how we would react in the ground. What I really don’t understand was so many leaving early. It was a lunchtime game for goodness sake, so no desperate rush to catch trains and it was 0-0 for goodness sake. I just don’t understand how they could have risked missing a classic last gasp winner. Really odd.
morning,
the fact that madrid beat barca in the classico does Arsenal another small favour..Barca are gonna eat chelsea alive, quite frankly im more worried bout toon pinching a 3-4th spot even with their tougher run in on paper…
i was a little numb with the draw we had lastnight and after waking up to see the other results i find myself quietly smiling…
how many times have other results gone our way this season?
someone is definately watching over the mighty Arsenal..every team involved in the tussle for CL will need some luck in the run-in, some spudz more than others 🙂 but id take everything we can from lady luck, imo the team is starting to look a little thin and id hate all the hard work to go to waste, focus must be first because its ours to lose..
last week i was upset that the season was coming to an end..
now i just wish it was over in fact i wanted it over when i saw the results (go geordies 🙂 ) we could then focus on a testimonial match for Park…..
Top man GiE.
rURp,
I think fans and players alike of Arsenal, Chavs and Spuds are all jaded and edgy. The quality of football is now irrelevant and its simply a case of hobbling over the line in top four.
We have Benny available now to solve the left side issue and I think he will bring added maturity, calm and intelligence just as the pressure really mounts.
Wise heads on broad shoulders is what is needed now.
Micky,
I know, my comment was over the top and I realise you can’t just keep commenting ‘Cmon Arsenal’ on a blog throughout a game.
I was on the train and was still a bit fed up with the morons that sit alongside who make negative observations throughout the match.
This is one of my brother’s favourites….I’m sure Chary’ll like it.
See y’all laters.
Morning.
GIE Thank you. 2 BR posts running is a bit dull though I planned to be somewhat harsh towards our opponents.
The Chelsea tactics were totally incomprehensible. They needed the 3 points even more than us. As I said in the preview, Thursday nights beckons if they don’t win – so why play a 10 man defence?
I know that Moaninho beat Barca by playing anti-football and they may well win in Camp Nou but they will not beat both Spanish teams playing such terrible football.
Chas I posted a question on twitter I wondered what a seasoned regular would think:
Is there a link between amount of tickets available on Exchange and atmosphere in game.
Before the Spud game there was at least 100tickets plus on the Exchange when I was looking, there were also a number of tickets up for grabs on twitter and I’m sure a load more through dodgier outlets…..the atmosphere in ground even at 2-0 down seemed generally supportive and also noisy.
The only tickets I saw on Exchange for yesterday were £200 club level tickets, the atmosphere was tense and sounded a bit negative.
There is a school of thought that says players need to lift the crowd, but I think we saw during our recent winning run just how much the crowd can lift the players and how much the players thrive off it.
I also looked at Rambo yesterday and whilst I agree with most that his first half was poor I’m not sure it deserved the audible groans coming loud and clear from the ground. And he got slower and more cagey.
He made a good pass and got a round of applause and suddenly he looked brighter again.
I know I don’t do my best work when the clients are unreceptive to ideas or question my methods.
BR I am considering a similar tack although the laptop remains unbooted….one more espresso (maybe make it a double) and I’ll be ready.
BD,
I totally agree, a draw did nothing at all for Chelsea. They have put all their eggs in the CL basket, which is very risky. I can’t see them holding Barca on that pitch. Let’s be honest, for all the press garbage, Chelsea could’ve been out of the tie already had Barca had their shooting boots on.
The only risk at the moment is Chelsea winning the CL, or a sudden Spurs revival. Can’t see either of those happening!!!
Don’t forget as well that we have one massive advantage over Spurs and Newcastle, the experience of Arsene Wenger. He may have had his doubters this season, but the guy is a genius when it comes to making the top 4. Newcastle will start to get nervy as they get nearer to the line, and Spurs are already twitching (get it!).
This will have to go down as one of Wengers best achievements if we get 4th. Not from a footballing view or for the quality of the team, but for the strength and character of the man.
He’s a genius.
I totally disagree with so many comments but i will wait until the new post goes up to express my thoughts, before i get slatted.
Rasp/Peaches Post is saved in draft for when you want it, you can play with the title if you like.
Morning all
Thanks GiE
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