Valentines Day. I woke up thinking why and who? Do you know? Do you care?
Why would you on such a fantastic day of sport?
I am praying to St Valentine (a Roman Christian martyr) for 3 victories and a draw.., England x 2, a draw for the Northern Oilers and at The Emirates – I am not sure.
Arsenal vs Leicester: You know the runners and riders, you know the state of the ground (good to soft), the recent form, the health of the stables, the colours, the on-field odds, the background “fairytale” etc etc. So I am not going to spend this post teaching you to suck eggs (whatever that means!)
Instead I would like to briefly explore what football means to you, or more to the point, me.
Valentines is about emotional attachment and appropriately my connection to The Arsenal and football as a whole is purely emotional based. I love football and I love The Arsenal. Which do I love more? BTW this is a slow build up to my point 🙂
Why do I not really care if we lose today? Because IMO it would be just marvellous for the game if Leicester won the title. And I say that knowing that for them to win it we would have to lose it.
I have been struggling with this all week. Which is more important, an Arsenal victory or a Leicester title win? I find that my romantic nature supersedes my desire for Arsenal glory. The truth is that I love the sport more than my team (I think).
However, if we win and go on to win the title I would be thrilled; my fears are that we could win today and balls up the title run-in. Oh, come on – you know you feel the same!
Arsenal: Defensively we have been looking better – could it be the emergence of Gabriel or just we have been playing poor teams? Rumour has it that The Archangel is injured; if he is then our tactics will have to be adjusted to allow for BFG’s lack of pace. Much is made of the pace of Vardy and Leicester’s counter attack, yet we have faced much faster frontlines and coped. It is a question of organisation and concentration.
We knocked 5 past young Kasper up at Filbert Street and I cannot see him keeping a clean sheet this lunchtime. OG must be due a goal as too is Alexis.
I expect us to start with Ox on the right and a return for Coquelin, other than that the team picks itself. I will bet Mrs.Raddy’s Valentines Day gift (a Snickers bar) that OG starts ahead of TW.
What I really, really do not want to happen this afternoon is for us to draw and the cave-dwelling, knuckle-dragging N17 miscreants to win up at The Etihad. That would ruin my day and dent both our and Ranieri’s title ambitions.
I may love football more than Arsenal but if Young Aaron smashes in the third at the Clock End I will be out my seat, jumping up and down and convinced this is OUR year.
And if it isn’t, how great would it be for a top chap like Ranieri to take a team which a year ago was relegation fodder to the title?
COYRRG
Arsenal News 24/7
arsenalarsenal.net 
Blimey BR “I find that my romantic nature supersedes my desire for Arsenal glory” that is not natural and you need to see a doctor!
You speak with forked tongue this morning, Erik.
What an odd fellow you are, nevertheless, you are our fellow, so we’ll make an exception. 12.00 KO. Jeepers, I thought it was 12:45, and that was bad enough. Much to do.
Thanks for PM. Onwards to victory and finally, morning Ant ‘n Duck
Fantastic post, BR.
Snickers, Marianne Faithful style, yum!
In a way, the spuds not winning is very important today.
Win for us and draw at the Etihad is my preference.
What about the quiz Micky? Did you ever look like Rod Stewart?
Rod in purple plimmies.
Sorry, Radder, a lovely pre-match, but romanticism? Leicester? really?
It shows a very nice part of your character – but not for this one. 🙂
I have reservations about the result of this game based on so many below par performances since mid-November.
Both the Spuds and Leicester have only lost 2 games – and no one has said much about the ugly cousins – I think they have every chance of winning the EPL this year. 😦
Wonderful pic of Rod borrowing Micky’s plimmies 😀
https://www.lidlcommunity.co.uk/t5/Food-Drink/New-Hatherwood-Brews-from-Lidl-plus-a-Woodgate-Cider/td-p/9252
Wow 90p from Lidl, you’d only get a shot of lemonade for that in London
Tedious shot of beer bottles on a train.
https://twitter.com/fumbunker/status/698801317075165184
RA. Yes, really! I am the type of fool who supports the underdog.
Never heard of Hatherwood beers. Are they as good as a San Miguel?
Oh Dear. Mrs R. has her coat on and is giving me The Eye (you married chaps know what that means 😦 )
See you after the game.
COYRRG
Oakley made us laugh, what about the green suits BR and the girl on Give Us A Clue?
If someone gets all the Leicester pictures right then they win an empty box!
Love this goal
https://twitter.com/90sarsenal/status/698805508078231552
RA
I reckon BR is using the old hippy gong bath technique of lowering one’s expectations so as to avoid disappointment.
If we don’t win the League, it has to be Leicester.
Other options don’t bear contemplation.
Stephen Hughes blimey
Cor blimey!
Come on you Gooner fans!
Come on the FP!
Thanks Raddy, one of your best and most entertaining if I may be Steve Bould – but I think you must be back on the wacky bacci!
Let’s just get this straight :), we want an Arseal win today (obvs) and either a City/spud draw or a high scoring humiliation of the miscreants culminating in significant injuries to both teams (not life threatening 🙂 )
As for us ….. please Mr Wenger, I beg you …. send our boys out with a cohesive well rehearsed strategy. If we play standard Arsenal football they will punish us on the counter. I completely disagree that we’ve faced pacier attacks than Leicester. They will have 4 players breaking forward at frightening pace, all capable of scoring goals.
If we have to play Merts, he cannot venture beyond the half way line. I’d tell him and Kos to stay deep and for Coquelin (he must strat ahead of Flamini) to drop back if the one of the fullbacks goes forward.
I’m hoping we get a surprise and Elneny starts today – but I doubt it.
COYRRG
This ones for BR
I’ve no doubt that Leicester will score 1 or 2 today, so what’s important is how we finish. Our strikers owe us at least 2 or 3 from the Southampton game and we could do with them paying it back today. I’m going 4-2 to the Arsenal.
Hi FGG, it will be the goals we concede not those we score that will determine this game I reckon. A boring 1 nil to the Arsenal would do me, but I agree, there could be a hatful of goals.
Thanks yet again Raddy
If someone would have told me at the start of the season how crucial this game is for both sides I wouldn’t ever have believed it.
I have many concerns.Fo micky that we actually start scoring more regularly and if gabriel is not well he won’t partner Kos and apparently gabriel doesn’t speak English that’s why the partnership doesn’t look great as yet. if merts plays,heaven help us.
We need a lot going for us today and the margins are so tight we weither finish up as real title contenders or finish up fighting for third or forth. The other game is so significant and IMO City have shot themselves in the foot announcing Pep is taking over next season, despite them still being in the hunt for 4 trophies.
Whatever the over for us AW will have already prepared all his after match interviews.
Starting team:
Cech; Bellerin, Mertesacker(C), Koscielny, Monreal; Coquelin, Ramsey; The Ox, Ozil, Alexis; Giroud
Bench:
Ospina, Chambers, Flamini, Elneny, Campbell, Walcott, Welbeck
===
Gabriel & Gibbs are not in squad; Welbeck returns; Elneny also on the bench.
Morning all
Wonderful pre-match, I love football, The Arsenal and romantic men so you had me with the title 🙂
No Gabriel, he’s got a slight hamstring injury
Chambers is covering for the starting back four (RB/CB/LB).
That’s exciting news JM, Welbz is on the bench 🙂
The Ox’s 100th PL appearance.
Arsenal F.C. player focus:
Calum Chambers, DF
DF:33, MF: 40, FW: 27
Skill: Versatile Utility Man
Teamstyle: Support-type (For the Team)
Arsenal F.C. player focus:
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, MF
DF:12, MF: 47, FW:41
Skill: Chance-making Support
Teamstyle: Offence-type (Chance making-up)
Thanks Raddy, and thanks to GIE for yesterdays, sorry I was a knot ear.
I think we have the pace in our defence to cope with Leicesters favoured weapon of quick counter attacking better than most other top sides. Tactically it would be an error for me to go with the BFG over Gabriel in this particular game.
I think I would also go with the more defensive minded and mobile Elneny alongside Le Coq. With that and a quick back line I think Leicester would find it very hard and it would free up the front 4 more from defensive duties and let them loose on the Leicester defence.
Seems strange to look at a game with Leicester at this point in the season as a MWG, but it is that. I maintain that we should be roughly 10 points better than we are now with our squad, and with us being the most internally settled of the top sides. We have made it a MWG because we haven’t got the extra points we should have by now IMO.
Now sorry to put a dampener on things but I do feel the need to say the following.
Reading back on some comments I notice with amusement that Theo (as well as AOC to some degree) has become the scapegoat of the moment. As I have said many times before this ignores that Theo was actually reasonably decent when he was played as a striker early in the season, and we played some of our best football then. Since his return from injury the manager has decided not to play him there and to stick with Giroud, and you have to ask yourself the questions of how has that gone for us and how have we played recently?
It seems that everyone wants to use Walcotts recent stats of him as a winger against Giroud’s stats as a striker for comparison, and the justification on why Giroud is the better option, which as I have said before seems a strange comparison to me.
We have looked very mid tablish in our performances recently IMO, which happens to coincide with Giroud getting the starting strikers spot seemingly without question. Now if Walcott had been getting that starting strikers role with the recent performances and goal-scoring levels I think many would go into absolute meltdown, but the rules appear different when it comes to the FP.
It is the managers decision and I kind of wonder whether in clubs the pre-season monopoly game Arsene and Giroud stole all the get out of jail free cards such is their Teflon type ability to avoid any criticism of what we have seen recently.
Right I said my bit so just to say that I will be as delighted as anyone else if Ollie scores a hat-trick today regardless of my feelings about what his role in the squad should be, so COYRRG’s.
Arsenal F.C. player focus:
Francis Coquelin, MF
DF: 18, MF: 68, FW:14
Skill: Spirited Interception
Teamstyle: Defence-type (Hard Pressing Defence)
Who remembers the twin strike force of Phillips and Crawford, won promotion and then the old Division 1 beating us 3-0 at Highbury.This leicester team operate in a similar way,hope they have a bad day
It’s madness,we are underdogs at home to Leicester
Kelsey, I find myself agreeing with pretty much all your comments recently. Anyway must dash, meeting up with an old friend to watch. See you all later.
Dear God Peaches
What the hell does this mean when you were talking to Erik earlier “you had me”??????
We will NOT put up with preferential treatment 🙂
Danny on the bench is great news.
Don’t like the team, but I never do 🙂
Really excited. Let’s put the minnows in their place. Come on you Gunnnnnners
7am here.
Tea, toast… and an Arsenal win.
Will read pre match at HT.
COYRRG
What is Andy Townsend on about? That was a blatant arm-to-ball – should have been a pen.
I know it’s a tense game but the lack of atmosphere coming from the tv is amazing. It’s almost silent!
Need to get our creative players in the game.
That’s better. Giroud playing well but nobody reading his flick ons so far. Not long until someone connects with one though.
Tons of atoms in my TV feed Ginge.
We’re playing well. The ref’s giving us nothing and allowing a lot of Leicester fouls off the ball to go unpunished.
Kante and Drinkwater bossing our midfield. Ramsey and Özil need to wake up
Not playing well for me RL. Leicester growing into the game.
Hmmm… according to the TV commentators (and the lino) Ollie was offside for that ‘goal’.
I’m not sure of the rule – Giroud’s feet were level with the defenders, although his body was leaning towards the Leics goal while the defenders’ bodies were leaning the other way.
Funny old game Ginge – I think this is the best we’ve played since Man City.
Great. Coq carded for his first foul. This ref is definitely up for a Leicester win.
Ollie’s shirt was being tugged off his back. That’s two clear penalties we should have had.
Wev been very average recently RL so I get where you are coming from, but by decent standards I don’t think we are playing all that well.
I’d like to see us keep the ball better. We are giving away constantly as we move into the final third.
Great goal by Martin Atkinson.
Started with Atkinson ignoring a huge foul on Ozil at one end, then giving a a non-penalty to Leicester at the other end. Thanks ref.
And in the middle of it all, a yellow card for Kozzer for his first foul of the game.
The ref has been embarrassing so far. Absolute joke
And Ramsey booked for his first foul. No cards for any of the Leicester fouls so far.
Well I hope Arsenal will be compiling a dossier of all the wrong decisions given against Arsenal if the ref succeeds in winning the game for Leicester
Unbelievable. Referee couldn’t wait to give it
Only thing Arsenal can do is win the game Rasp. We put up with Mike Dean for years and was anything ever done about him?
Time for players to stand up. Our front 5 have been poor so far and need to start putting some passes together in the final third.
Fuming.
What’s the point Rasp? Even if they admit to mistakes afterwards (like the Chelsea game) the points are gone.
The only response now is to come back out and win it.
Agreed Rasp.
I was enjoying the game up to that non penalty penalty given.
Ozil is not suited to these reallt physical players and Ramsey is hardly in the game yet for 25/30 minutes we looked pretty sharp.
Fantastic save from Vardy’s header by Cech and note he didn’t drop the ball and Sanchez was unlucky with his shot that came off Morgan otherwise that was a goal.The ox much better on the right.
Drinkwater is the sort we need.
Going to be hard now and not much on the bench to bring on as Walcott would get blown over 😉
An unhappy Emirates stadium 😦 The referee is roundly ignoring every opportunity to give us a decision. Hope we can rise to the challenge.
The Leicester right back is terrified of Ozil which is quite funny 🙂
Cech made a fantastic save right under my nose
Zero shots on target so far. Not good enough.
Welbeck might be getting a run out today I think.
I believe our record under Atkinson is pretty terrible (we’ve won one of the last six that he has reffed – something like that).
Ok, we have 45 mins to stay in the chase for the Title
Sod the ref and sod their goal. Nine times out of ten, you need at least two goals to win any game. Time to go get ’em
Bloody hell Ginge.
THREE good penalty shouts.
One goal not given for a debatable offside.
Headers just wide.
Shots blocked in the box.
“Shots on target” is such an imprecise stat that often tells you nothing about the state of the game. A team could hit the woodwork 50 times and the stat would be “zero shots on target.”
Would Ospina have saved that header,peaches and grabbed the ball 😉
I still fancy us to win. The biggest stumbling block is Atkinson.
Oh great kos is off injured and Chambers is on.
“Zero shots on target so far. Not good enough”
Precisely FGG, and I hope the players are thinking about that and not dripping around feeling sorry for themselves
Come on you Gunnnners
None of them were pens though!
The Sanchez shoulder wide and the Sanchez blocked shot is the best we’d had to offer.
Must do better.
I wish the Arsenal defenders would gage attackers outside the box instead of waiting for them to be inside it before tackling. Asking for trouble!
Have to disagree Ginge – two of them were clear pens. Ollie’s shirt tugged for about 5 seconds and the first handball appeal was definitely hand to ball.
This ref is having an absolute shocker!
Good for us obviously, but that’s a really soft red.
Who cares though, come on now Arsenal!
Atkinson must be feeling guilty after watching the highlights at HT.
Rocky,
The offside rule applies where – “A player is in an offside position if, when the ball is played by a team-mate, they are nearer to the opposition’s goal line than both the ball and the second last opponent. [And this applies to any part of the body – not just the feet,] So, that would have made the Giro goal offside.
At your service!
Fair enough RA – and thanks for the clarification.
I’d be tempted to get Coquelin off and bring Elneny on who can do a bit more with the ball.
Or just bang Walcott on and go all out attack!
Ox and Ramsey now behind Özil.
I like it!
What’s happened to koscielny?
Surely one of our players can find a finish!
Get in Theo!
Brilliant finish from Theo
Kos has got a dead leg.
I knew my boy Walcott would save us 😉
At last! Someone gambling on a Giroud knock down.
Theeeeoooooo …….. GoonerB was right 😆
Kozzer has dead leg, Rasper.
GoonerB,
I kept telling you Theo was better on the wing!! 😀
Well I hope Elneny is warming up, because if we go 2 : 1 up, we will need someone to do Coquelin’s job
Özil key now as he’s calm enough to pick the right pass.
Come on boys, let’s get our shots on target – at least work the keeper.
If Alexis wasn’t so rusty he’d have had two or three by now.
We need a moment of brilliance from somewhere … these are title deciding minutes…… maybe Welbeck will become an instant legend?
I think Rambo must have his boots on the wrong foot.
FFS …. shooting practice needed all week. Forget breaking the back of the net, let’s just get the shots on target!!!
Leicester 50% of shots on target
Arsenal less than 20% on target
YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WELBZ!!!!!
Bloody hell! Rocky was right – we have done it – I think. 😀
As I predicted in my @ 1:31 …. Welllbbbbeeeyyyyyyy 🙂 🙂 🙂
YOU FUCKING BEAUTYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYTYYYYYTTTTTTTTTYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!
OMG OMG can you hear me screaming !!!!!!!
YES!!! Danny!!!
Wowwwwwwwwwwwww
Loved it
Rasp,
I take no provide in saying i was right about it coming down to what we do at the attacking end of the field! Thank god for Danny Welbeck!
What a couple superb assists we saw today aswell. You can always count on Özil to put it where it needs to be, and Giroud header for the first 😍😍😍😍😍😍
I think Rocky got there first, Rasper, you glory hunter!! 😀
RockyLives says:
February 14, 2016 at 1:02 pm
I still fancy us to win.
no pride, not provide!
Absolutely amazing, that’s what football is all about and how crucial was that win.
Sanchez,Ramsey and Giroud missed about 12 goals between them but I will let them of today.
Ahermmm Redders, it was I who predicted Welbeck would provide the magic @ 1:31 …… we all knew we would win 🙂
My cheering has made my little boy scared of me and I think I nearly sent my wife into labour!
Candidly? — I was resigned to another one of those games where we were in control of possession – but unable to score.
What a relief to be wrong!! 🙂
All to play for now. An unimpressive scrappy draw between spuds n city now please footballing gods.
You villain, Chubby Ginge!! 😀
Does it get better than a 94th minute winner?
Welbeck will provide us with a more direct route to goal now whilst also making himself a nuisance a la Sanchez 🙂 His return may just be the turning point to bring back our cutting edge.
I am not surprised that a Times crossword solver would wriggle out of that one, Rasper, but credit to you about Danny – but you are a lying git about knowing we would win!! 😀
Rasp
A draw or Spuds getting a thorough pants down spanking
There isn’t an emoticon for irony Redders 😕
We have drawn or lost to enough of them, Micky.
I bet you are disappointed we did not win by 10. 😀
Deffo Micky, probably a spanking would be better as I really don’t think City are up to much.
Truth is, we have been quite wasteful in front of goal recently and that continued today.
If we can just improve our finishing percentage we can all start dreaming…
Also, what a good performance from Chambers in the second half. I was worried when he came on for Kozzer but the boy done good.
Your words dripped irony, Rasper, 🙂 as did mine! 😀
I’ve been texting with a friend of mine who’s a Foxes fan – he’s fuming about how bent the ref was 🙂
Just goes to show…
Can I be the first to praise Walcott? In the first half we crying out for someone to get on the end of some of the Giroud knock downs in the box. When he came on you could see he was willing to put himself in a position to score a goal. None of our other wide right players do enough of that.
In a 4-4-2 the pairing of Giroud and Walcott would be absolutely lethal, just a shame not many play it these days!
Off to watch the Italy v England rugby.
Can I be the first to praise ginger for praising Walcott 😆
When I said ‘can I be the first to praise Walcott’ what I actually meant was ‘can I be the only one to praise Walcott!’
RL,
Got to agree with you about Chambers. He was excellent. I thought Monreal was really good today aswell.
RA
Goals ARE of the highest priority for me, but only in conjunction with victory, however it does not get better than a late, late winner.
When both sets of supporters go away saying the ref is bent, then you know he’s Hamas a shocker…..or he’s Graham Norton!
*had a shocker
Surely LB, the AA Poet Laureate, will want to drizzle his unashamed words of joy over a soufflé of Arsenal magnificence in a match report 🙂
Crikey. Can I be the first to congratulate Rasper for being the first to invite LB, the Post Laureate, to write a match report on a magnificent result for the Arsenal. 😀
Blimey Rasp – you been drinking?
Can I be the first to congratulate Redders for congratulating Rasper for his finely worded invitation to LB. In fact, so finely worded I wonder if it was ghost written by Redders.
A draw, preferably, or a Man City win now please…
😀 Rocky, I’m just delirious with joy. I couldn’t get a ticket for the game so had to make do with BBC stats and live commentary. It was torture but oh so sweet when we do a manu and pull it out of the bag when it really matters.
Our players should be walking on air after that …. the double and FA cup history is definitely on 🙂
England have given away 3 penalties in the first 20 minutes – really naughty – but Ford has just scored our – (oops, your first try.
Italy 6 – 11 England
The munificent approbation nay perspicacity was all my own Rocky 😀
Wow Redders. Is Martin Atkinson reffing the rugby too?
I was casting asparagus on your powers of prose Rasper, but you usually adopt a more Hemingwayesque style of brevity and to-the-pointedness…
Good that pool are finding some form, Sturridge scored -…. they can do us a favour now and take points off our title rivals.
Can I congratulate Rocky, for being the first to congratulate me, for being the first to congratulate Rasper, for being the first to invite LB, The Post Laureate, to write a post match report drizzling with joy over a magnificent soufflé of a result for Arsenal? 😀
Indubitably Rocky
Reffin’ Atkinson could not ref a flaming tiddly winks game, Rocky. 🙂
Sorry Rasp – should have said I WASN’T casting asparagus…
So, you do not think I have a Hemingwayesque style of brevity and to-the-pointedness… then Rocker?
Shame on you – anyone would think I was noted for my verbosity, tautology and inability to get to the point – or sumfink. 😀
Rasp 😀
Redders 😀
I see your style as more James Joyce (Finnegans Wake period)
By the way, Rasper, we are not doing too well in the 5th and final, deciding ODI match against Sth Africa, despite having been 0 : 2 up in the series.
They need 80 runs off 102 balls — easy peasy for them, with 6 wickets in hand. 😦
Yes — you were casting your asparagus far and wide, Rocky, and now you are suggesting my writing style is more akin to James Joyce’s incomprehensible, rambling, no punctuation marks, sexually repressive prose?
You is an ‘orrible man Rocket. 🙂
It will be interesting to see how Leicester react to that defeat as the manner of it will be a big pill to swallow.
Just watched the highlights again and the header from Giroud to Walcott was just perfection. How he took all the pace off the ball with his head was world class.
Leicester have a very winnable run of games coming up.
Our next four include Spuds away and ManUre away…
Redders
A fair comment (Joyce). I started reading Finnegan’s Wake once. Got to Page 2. Walked away, mystified.
Ant,
You and the Duck must be ecstatic over the game, and will probably have to be poured home! 🙂
Actually, if LB is not available to write the match report maybe you could give us a feel from the ‘man at the match’ perspective [well not a feel so to speak – perhaps a view – and we can leave the ‘feel’ to the Duck!] 🙂
Something short, concise, and ‘à point’, the way Rocky likes it – you know “we went, we won, we went back’. 😀
Would Welbz’ goal have gone in from Özil’s free kick, if he had not touched/headed it? Anyone?
Alas, my head is spinning trying to communicate with my friends on AA, watch glimpses of the Villa v ‘Pool match, the doomed England ODI cricket and the Italy v England rugby- and I have to see Saracens (my team) v Wasps at 4 p.m., and also the Man City v Spuds girly game.
So, adieu for now. 😀
Thanks RA. Love going to Footie, especially when when we win. We have already done our share in all the stupid comments pre match. Can’t stop there is more beer to be drunk.
Whilst we’re in the mood for light hearted jollity, have some fun with this … move your cursor and click …
http://trumpdonald.org/
My two favourite comments of the day:
“Drinkwater is the sort we need.” and
“Wonderful pic of Rod borrowing Micky’s plimmies
ha ha ha ha, I was blogging on my own after yesterday’s post thinking everyone was celebrating Valentines’ 🙂 🙂
Just as well, I called for Wenger’s head in 93rd minute 🙂
Poor Remi Garde, it’s bad when even Kolo scores against you …. pool winning 6 : 0
Can I be the first to praise Arsene for keeping Theo and Welly fresh to win the game from the bench?
‘Drinkwater is the sort we need’ is by far the funniest and most ridiculous comment of the day. 😆
Eddie don’t call yourself an idiot!
https://o.twimg.com/2/proxy.jpg?t=HBg_aHR0cHM6Ly9jMi5zdGF0aWNmbGlja3IuY29tLzIvMTU2Ni8yNDk3MTUxOTg2Nl85NzVjMGU5NmM5X2IuanBnFIAQFK4IHBSEBhSUAwAAFgASAA&s=KfNYuUvMi4Z7mhPuiuGm6Qn0fNDP8J34yXjfc4bnvDU
ant 🙂 🙂 I was so cross yesterday after seeing that photo of Ramsey vs Danny and Theo 🙂 🙂
ant, I am an idiot 🙂
Not sure what it was about Drinkwater, but I was very unimpressed with Leicester. It would be awful if they won the league playing like that
Opinionated, a bit misguided, rash and with big boots…but not an idiot.
Who’s got a rash?
rude, stubborn and intolerant 🙂 🙂
Yep, I’m all of those.
I am all that 🙂 and do you think I care, especially on a day like today?
It was Wasilewski that gave us that last minute opportunity 🙂 Trust a Polak to screw things up he he he
Wow, tense or what. Was watching at a football club with a few others and as Ozil lined up that free-kick with 94 minutes come and gone I said this is potentially a title deciding free-kick. I actually feel that moment could spring us out of our recent malaise performance wise. That could just be one of those moments, when looked back upon, where you realise it was the key title defining moment. At least I hope so.
Anyway Rasp, your title for tomorrows post should be :
“Two goals from 2 of Arsene’s striker options, (that are so good they stopped us looking for a striker in the TW), that he really doesn’t fancy as strikers”.
Sorry that was a bit facetious, didn’t mean it……actually yes I did 🙂
A bit wordy GB ….. 😀
…and complete bollocks. 🙂
How about this then Rasp:
Two goals from our pseudo strikers that are nowhere near as good as FP.
Duchasck 🙂
Has that lovely LB offered to write a post for tomorrow?
RA,
I’m not sure the Özil cross was going in, but it was such a good ball that 3 Arsenal players were lining up unopposed to head it in.
Drinkwater should’ve been sent off. The tackle on Ramsey was a shocker. He went over the ball and into Ramsey’s shin. If any of the Leicester players are we need it was Kante. He reminded me of Makelele at times.
I reckon Well-back will be the headline in at least 1 paper tomorrow.
OMG, Clatterberg is blind!!!!
Well someone has had a big bet on Spurs to win the league.It wasn;t in the area and it hit his arm.Unbelievable
Thanks u, Raddy. 🙂
alls well that continues well. 🙂
kels – closer look at it makes me wonder…..maybe it was a pen. Tough decision
come on Shitty
I was lucky enough to see the whole of the second half with a number of Gooners. Terrific stuff.
Having watched the game again in the comfort of my settee and with the confidence of knowing the score, I feel we played very well.
OG had a very good game, working non-stop and at the centre of all that was positive. I also enjoyed Monreal and Ramsey’s performances.
Referee was crap for both sides.
All in all really enjoyable game and we fully deserved the points.
Raddy – I wrote a comment for you earlier on, something along the lines that if you really love footy then you should want Leicester back in the relegation zone. I was hugely unimpressed by their game
Now, City v Spuds is a terrific game; end to end attacking football, can’t believe is it already 80th minute, I wish it lasted for another hour
Eddie. There is no no such thing as a good game involving Spurs.
Oh bum, they have just scored. Come on City don’t lose to the Miscreants
wow, are we worried now? Spurs v Arsenal for the title
Mind you Raddy, it would be fairer if Leicester won rather than the neighbours, but it is looking unlikely now
Helluva win for our neighbours. Sickening.
Spurs result not that bad as I still believe it will come down to us or City at the end of the season. Spurs are still in EL and FA Cup and that will take its toll on their smaller squad. At the moment though they are in the same boat as us, believing it could be their year.
FGG
Agree with your analysis. Although a Spurs win is horrible, I’d still see City as the bigger threat.
However, I don’t see us in the same boat, because we have the likes of Danny returning and will get stronger as a result, whereas Spurs will do their usual 🙂
yes, agree. better than a Shitty win at this stage of the season
Looking at the games I reckon 9 wins would put us in a very strong position. 78+ points wins the league this year IMO.
The refereeing standard today was piss poor in both of the big games. These are matches that can decide titles and lose managers their jobs. It’s not good enough. Yes it’s a tough job, but some of the decisions today were a joke. Not good enough from our ‘top’ refs.
Post alert
FGG’s excellent summary of the remainder of the season would make a great talkie, and all based on todays results 🙂
I agree about FGG’s comment.
A fine piece of work and worthy of a post. Perhaps I should remove it..
What do you think?
Crowing foxsfan on r5live last night (mixed metaphor?) predicted Leicester win leading to Sir Arsene’s instant dismissal .He must be feeling pretty silly ATM!
I’m disappointed with the Spud result. Unlike others on here, I see them as a bigger threat than Man City.
They have the best defence, are full of confidence and have some good players in great form.
Here’s hoping the glut of upcoming games do catch up with them and their squad…
But I think our league fixture with them will be massive.
5th March.
Yes, Rocky, I agree with you, spuds are a bigger threat than City, I suppose we have to cling to the hope that their fixture list will take it’s toll on their smaller squad. They were good this afternoon, really well organised.
Folks I don’t have three hours to write a post this evening, yes that is right three hours, when I have the time I love doing it and there is so much to write about tonight but Mrs LB is not well and I have to be on call.
The travelogues are so much more interesting than me gushing about the game.
Evening all, know today’s results haven’t watched anything, I checked in on BBC at 12 and saw Atkinson was ref, and worried. The Leicester goal was a nasty surprise and I checked in here to see many blaming Atkinson and thought oh well. I had to suppress a cheer in the Castle Keep Room when Welly’s winner came through. Phone call from my brother immediately who had already phoned my Dad, who was also going to watch game on record later. He was bouncing and needed to talk to someone, all he kept saying was last kick of the game, players were in the crowd celebrating, brilliant.
Hopefully it’ll be kick on we need. Slightly soured by Spuds result, was listening in at on way home from city and heard City equaliser and sounded like they would go on to win.
Interesting summary from FGG above, to my mind I’m happier playing teams with something to play for than ones just content on racking another point for their prize money fund, so teams at bottom and teams chasing Europe are good ones to play.
I can do a quick match report for tomorrow.
The one point I do want to make is that my MOTM was Giroud and he does not get an easy ride with me, however I thought he was so influential, so much more hard working than usual which raises the question why? And the only reason I can come up with is Welbeck! There is going to be a genuine battle for the number 9 now and Giroud is getting in there early to stake his claim.
Competition for places — you have got to love it.
Although, I agree that spuds are a greater threat than city I do still think that the league is ours to lose. Our squad is so much better than, well, anyone’s in the league and certainly better than spuds and definitely Leicester who looked absolutely knackered at the end of that game.
was Theo shouting at Olly? and have I misunderstood his reaction?
Rocky – oh yes please!!! Monday is your day after all 🙂
Taken out FGG’s comment . We can use it as a post on Tuesday.
OK FGG?
Hooray for Rocky
Erik, take down FGG’s and use for Tues 🙂
Erik 🙂
I was still merrily typing away
Just read LB’s comment
Hope Mrs LB makes a full and speedy recovery.
Post in drafts.
Best wishes to the Missus, LB.
Best wishes for Mrs LB. I am sure all will be fine.
Brilliant Rocky …. thanks 🙂
Anyone watching the Barca game!? Erm, can we just forfeit the game so as not to destroy our confidence for the title challenge!?
Some of the play was scary, although so was Celtas defence at times.
Messi even passed a penalty to Suarez, like Henry tried to do with Pires. The front 3 are on a different planet.
Top notch widget updating chas … thanks 🙂
Here’s a thing……Spuds are having their best ever Premier League season, yet are only ahead of a inconsistent Arsenal on goal difference. We need to find consistency in the League between now and the seasons end.
Exactly GiE, which is why I still grieve City are our main threat.
Leicester and Spurs have been playing out of their skins with very few injuries, whilst ourselves and City have had a lot of injuries and been pretty inconsistent, yet we are only 2 points off the lead and getting our players back.
It’s possible that Spurs and Leicester can go to the end of the season on current form, but there’s 12 league games left aswell as numerous cup matches for Spurs, and history shows that injuries and or form will change at some point.
FGG. We have won the league many times and will win it many times more in the future. who cares a flying fig? Not me.
If we think we cannot rub shoulders with the likes of Barca in Europe, let us just dig a hole and bury ourselves in. Just my personal view
Onwards and upwards. COYG.:)
Just watched the 90 minutes. I have a couple of observations:
Ramsey – don’t know why different with Coq rather than Flam but his starting position when we had ball at back was massively improved, he was there to take the ball, play little triangles round the press and then move ball up pitch.
Ollie gave a masterclass in hold up play today and how to give centre backs a hard time, Huth knew he had been in a game, after about 75 minutes he was visibly puffing.
Alan Smith gave Kante man of the match…..ok I know he did a good job breaking up play etc but doesn’t that just speak volumes about English football? I thought for me it was a toss up between Rambo, Nacho, Hector and Ox, but Rambo probably edged it, I know he didn’t give a match winning contribution but he gave us a constant forward drive today.
Hi everyone.
What a dramatic end to the game.
Leicester were set up to stop Arsenal getting any fluidity or any momentum going, and nearly got away with it.
Soft penalty, but we got the three points we deserved.
Next up in the league is Old Trafford, Tottenham at the Lane isn’t far away either. The NLD could define our season.
On the subject of Spurs, shocking refereeing at The Etihad. City look flat and Aguero’s not firing but it doesn’t help when the ref helps the opposition. Getting decisions of that magnitude completely wrong at the top level is criminal and should result in the referee being demoted to League’s One and Two. Football needs some integrity.
Interestingly, GiE, Stuart Pearce gave Kante man of the match too, co-commentator on the game for Talksport.
Herb it doesn’t surprise me that Pearce went that way too and it probably helps that he was the standout for Leicester because of the way we play, just did a quick comparison with Ramsey on Stats Zone:
Kante
Shots 3
Passing 29/37 78%
Tackles 6/7
Interceptions 7
Clearances 1/1
Headed Clearances 0
Ball recoveries 13
Rambo
Shots 4
Passing 95/106 90%
Tackles 5/7
Interceptions 3
Clearances 1/1
Head Ckearsnces 1/1
Ball recoveries 15
To me Ramsey has given the more complete midfielders performance, and he isn’t even out destroyer, that’s for me why he was MotM, and I think there should be retrospective action on Drinkwater.
The other reason Pearce is more likely to award the MOTM to Kante is because his skill set is more skewed towards the defensive side of a midfield role where as Ramsey’s skill set is skewed towards the attacking side, and let’s face it, Pearce wouldn’t know anything about the attacking side of the game if it bit him in the arse.
Ramsey is a good call for MOTM it was a close thing for me although I think that Ramsey did what he normally does well, Giroud gave far more than he normally does; in fact, I thought he was outstanding.
GiE -good points about Tott’s best season ever and about Ramsey v Kante! Excellent perspective
Barca won 6:1, oh shit
I was thinking about Giroud and Henry and their different styles. I remember TH, especially in the later days of his career, pacing up and down the goal line waiting to put goals away. Giroud does the opposite, he fights to create goals, not just for himself.
Personally I prefer Giroud’s style. Ok, I know he hasn’t Henry’s skills, but still – with Giroud on we have 10 men on the pitch, with Henry only 9.
Good morning some people
Martin Atkinson thinks, ‘hmmmm yep that’s fair’.
Morning All,
No sliding cats, not a hint of a Crystal in a cat’s body, nor a B&W pic of someone with a funny moustache.
Not even a chat about Dotty or Mrs Frith.
Shabby.
😀 That’s better!
I like this – Welbecka, Welbecka.
http://arsenalist.com/f/2015-16/arsenal-vs-leicester/welbeck-goal-with-commentary-from-different-languages.html
oh dear, I didn’t see that Drinkwater tackle properly. I saw Ramsey going berserk afterwards, now I understand why. Does the Club have to ask the FA to view the incident retrospectively? It would be nice if the dirty twat missed next 3 games
Raddy 🙂 even Dotty – as if she was not the most important pet in the world 🙂
7.45. A young Mr & Mrs Didit.
Love the Welbecka
Good start to my day. And Erik, Mrs Frith at 11:30 🙂
Welbecka 🙂 nutcases 🙂
that bloody Ozil, what a cross, unreal
I don’t normally talk football this early but I would like to write about yesterday’s refereeing. It was bizarre.
Better leave it for after the match report
When Rocky’s post goes up, can we have Chas’ Welbecka vid up, because otherwise I’ll spend most of the day going backwards to view it, and time is very short for me today. Thank you 🙂
I won’t talk much about the game but the media are making a meal of the fact that Leicester went down to 10 men.
It was a thrilling game,loads of atmosphere and you couldn’t have written the script for the winner.
Apart for obviously feeling great that we won and Welbeck scoring. My lasting memory is that I think 8 of our players ran into the crowd after the winner.I don’t think I have ever seen such numbers celebrate so instantanously.Chas will have a video of that moment 🙂
Kelsey – that’s the Welbecka video Micky is dedicating his day to
http://arsenalist.com/f/2015-16/arsenal-vs-leicester/welbeck-goal-with-commentary-from-different-languages.html
Morning all ……
…. New post …….