Oh Mickey, you’re so fine…
Arsenal 1 – 0 QPR
(83) 1 – 0 Arteta
I read a comment before kick-off yesterday somewhere that said the performance against QPR was more important than the result. Which in a sport where we are often is results based, is a bit arsenal about face. It would have been typically Arsenal to have played well and drawn or lost. As it was, it was a bits and pieces performance that brought a late but overall deserved, win.
Forced into drastic action, the manager restored Bacary Sagna and Jack Wilshere to the starting line-up earlier than he intended. In the case of the Frenchman, it was inevitable yet impossible not to feel some sympathy for Carl Jenkinson losing his place with the soon-to-be England youngster playing well and consistently so, to this point. Wilshere’s return meant Coquelin made way with a similar fate befalling Gervinho as Olivier Giroud staked his claim to the central striking role.
Wilshere inevitably has taken the limelight for this performance. Desperate for action, the youngster fizzed the ball around, moved well, tackled and was tackled without any seemingly lingering damage. In short, he provided the energy which had been missing from recent midfield performances. It was not perfect but as the first steps in his Premier League comeback go, not bad indeed.
The visitors remain firmly rooted to the bottom of the table. Their points tally this morning is one less thanks to a great save in the closing stages from the much-maligned Vito Mannone as Arsenal sought to allow their toils to count for not much more than nought. Mackie’s run underlined the fragility of confidence, skipping through several half-hearted challenges to find the young Italian goalkeeper standing tall as the ball cannoned off his chest to safety.
Arsenal had started well enough, a little disjointed but quite quickly asserting the opening dominance. That no breakthrough came was down in no small part to obstinate, if not always convincing, goalkeeping from Julio Cesar. Early on, Santos and Wilshere were denied by the Brazilian whilst Podolski watched his effort drift wide. When Cesar was hopelessly beaten, the woodwork came to his rescue as Ramsey’s beguiling header landed on the top of the crossbar.
Time wore on and the game settled into its pattern. Arsenal passing the ball around, occasionally chipping in with an effort but QPR generally coping with all that the hosts had to offer, by fair means and foul. Giroud tested Julio Cesar once more before the break but Mertesacker’s header provided a sterner examination of his abilities early in the second half. Both were passed by the visiting custodian.
And then Arsenal hit ‘the wall’, metaphorically and literally. They ran out of ideas, blind alleys became familiar routes, six foot men might as well have been 2 ft 6 for all of the technique displayed at set-pieces. QPR took a brief attacking respite, Hoilett’s goal rightly ruled out before Vermaelen and Sagna intercepted at key moments.
It took the introduction of Theo Walcott for the tiring Jack Wilshere to provide the initial spark back to life. Walcott’s stock has risen in his absence and this cameo won’t have done him any harm, a burst of pace on the right provided an excellent but spurned opportunity for Giroud who missed the header. Cazorla should have buried the chance but instead had the club level nervously wondering if they were at Twickenham. Confidence.
The closing minutes proved to be game-changing. M’bia hacked at Vermaelen in frustration and saw red, Gervinho saw a short but brief appearance end on a stretcher and once more Arsenal saw Julio Cesar deny them. Testing times. Yet when the moments are at their least promising, a spark of light comes and this was in the form of a small Russian. Arshavin’s ten minute cameo lit the game and provided the energy needed.
Giroud profited as Arshavin caressed the ball into the centre, the rebound fell kindly to Arteta who had appeared to be offside in the build-up. The Spaniard found the crossbar which passed straight back in his direction; the QPR defence watched in vain as Lady Luck hitched her skirt, threw her leg over the saddle and rode out of their lives. Arteta smuggled the ball over the line.
Relief. Sheer, unadulterated relief. Lunacy. Hugs. High fives with strangers never to be seen again.
Three points in the end and crucially, a small hint of belief returning. As the injury-list shrinks, Arsène will hopefully see a growth in confidence not only in the players he opts for on a regular basis but those such as Arshavin, a growth in his own confidence to pick them, to trust them, to know he can call on them and when they are playing in familiar positions, get the performance he needs.
But most of all, it was a win.
“So, what do we give them for that performance?”
“10, Dad”
“10? Bit generous isn’t it? I should think 6, maybe 7 and that’s only because we won.”
“No Dad, it’s always a 10 when we win.”
’til Tomorrow.
I really would like the Chavs to get a goal now
Irish that’s just silly; how many Chelsea players does Manchester Mark have to send off before the message gets through?
Andrew – I know man, he has ruined the game but I can still laugh at Torres getting sent off.
RVP injured? Why yes please
I noticed how the ref was pointing at his watch when Chelsea were to take a throw and were wasting time. In our game yesterday, the ref actually encouraged them to waste time and not once did anything to stop time wasting by QPR. I am convinced that English refs (some of them at least) are bent
its incredible how everyone think the ref made a “bad” decission. Its not a bad decision, its a great decission. it helps United win. A bit like when they gave yellow to RvP in the Barcelona game. its a great great great decission for a person thwat wants United to win. Bad enough to be concidered “bad refereeing” but not bad enough to be seen as cheating or as giving United a favour. Not in the eyes of the media anyway.
Sideshow Bob with an own goal, Torres sent off for no reason and an offside goal given in Utd’s favor………..kinda what they deserve having JT as their captain.
Couldn’t possibly happen here Desi.
Could it?
Well Clattenburg was punished for his misdemeanour’s when he sent of Evans last season by not getting a united game since..that has thought him well..
and imagin turning a potential red card to united around and getting torres off instead! what a geniouse ref. Damn can he get any better for United?? i wish we had refs like that on our payroll. its just so smooth.. just bad enough to look innocent yet controlling the entire game…
it must be dawning for rvp now that moving to United actually gives you chart blanch in the footy world. chart blanch combined with great skill. you must be a neanderthal not to win the league. really…
Last year they needed two questionable penalties to save the same fixture. Some things just do not change.
If someone from the two dodgy sides wants to settle the accounts, there is the League Cup game next week.
Hope to see the traditional November-December collapse for Chelsea now.
WOW Now I am shocked!!
Warren Barton – “If Torres had left his leg in there, he might have gotten his leg broken. At the very least Evans should have been sent off as he was last man back and he was through on goal.”
Eric Wynalda – “If Torres had scored that goal, it would have been called back for offside straight away, but Chicharito, maybe it’s the club he plays for. Who knows?”
and how can they call it a tremendous game when the outcome was decided by the ref?? it was more like a shameful game then no?
i would rather chelsea won the pl than United. i actually think RVP deserves a trophy even less than Terry. Terry is after all born thick.
3 offs, Utd win…
talk about pruning for the vibrator
Jolly good show by our man Clatty….
deserves a raise that man does.
The only thing left is for a referee to actually score for United, a diving header or a scorching volley from 25 yards.
I’d rather ARSENAL win the EPL than Mancheater Utd, Chelski & Etihad City because AW’s Gunners NEVER cheat to win!
Watch Mark Clattenburg go from not refereeing a single Man Utd game in a year to officiating their games week in week out now. Joke of a ref, the FA and Clattenburg has got a lot of explaining to do.
Sometimes, in my wildest conspiraloon imaginings, I wonder if Sir Ferg might have really sworn that blood oath after all, not to retire until he gets his 20th title? Couldn’t be that, could it? Could it?
And that the Blue Mancs fux)rd it up for him last year, otherwise he’d be gone by now?
Irish at 5:59 pm
Heard the same quotes at Fox. We know they are usually jizzing for one of the moneybags but it was revealing that the twat Wynalda couldn’t help but state:
“If Torres had scored that goal, it would have been called back for offside straight away, but Chicharito, maybe it’s the club he plays for. Who knows?”
What in the world is happening?
Nah Shotta – couldn’t possibly happen here.
Could it?
United are not lucky and the decisions even out over the season.
That’s right Bill,? eh?
There is no bias towards United.
http://t.co/OY92aUDp
Ol fergie does it again. Cheating bastard
Merlot @ 1:21
Sorry I missed your question earlier. My response to shotta at 1;56 is an answer to your question. I don’t believe our struggles to score are because we are playing “defensive football”.
Can you hear the drums Fernando ?
Well next time you hear the drums don’t chuck yourself on the floor, you blond haired Alice banded Spanish ponce
Well done Mr Clattenberg – another dozen red cards for diving would be brilliant before Christmas
My expectation is Torres and a few other of the serial divers might get the message
so what did i miss?
well jacks first game back(sigh)
bac back
442 apparently according to yahoo
and a display that has divided arsenal fans(whats new)
why?….well i’ll tells ya right now shall i.
caiden andrew smith….7oz 11, @14.15 27/10/12.
we have a new gunner.
To cut a long story short, I’m on the costa del sol and I’ve just waved off a brummie who told me a delightful anecdote about the great man himself, so on this cold Sunday night tuck yourselfs and your cultured left watsits in and pull up a chair… ” New Year’s Eve 2010, I’ve just finished my first dance and I’m off to the loo when this tall French geezer stops me and asked me if I can return his wash bag to his room that he’s left in the gym earlier, sorry to be a pain and all that!”, so the brummie explains that’s he’s just got married and he’s the groom and not someone that works in this posh Birmingham hotel that the arsenal use for all midlands games, apparently arsene cherried up,apologised and them introduced the groom and his friends to all the players and arsenal staff bought them champagne, photos galore and according to my new drinking buddy were pure class, that night and the following morning( when theo lost his boot bag apparently), there were 2 tickets waiting for the bride & groom the following morning- they didn’t go obviously(honeymoon), we won 3-0 by the way but this brummie will always have a soft spot for the gunners, like I’ve always said you can’t buy class.
Congratulations Createstrain
Great anecdote Mel!!
Enjoy your hols.
Cstrain – congratulations – blessed moment
I see Chelsea are unhappy that Clattenburg used inappropriate language to two of their players and have reported him to the FA and the PMGO tonight
Beautiful predictability
I expect he was being ironic
Bill @ 8:35pm
There’s a career in politics for you if you can confidently answer questions which have never been asked! In reality, we have conceded precisely the same number of goals in the EPL this year as in the corresponding games last year.(Of course, all of this will change next week.)
The actual difference from last season – and what has cost us 5 points – is the fewer number of goals we have scored.
De-e-e-efence can lose you matches, but ultimatly it’s your attack which wins them.
createstrain
October 28, 2012 at 8:54 pm
Brilliant – kind of puts it all into perspective huh?
merlot
October 28, 2012 at 10:07 pm
Sadly Merlot, whilst everything you say is true and demolishes your interlocutor with grace and precision, with that bloke you are talking to yourself.
He’ll just answer a question you didn’t ask.
After the first 20 minutes, Chelsea dominated play and even so with a man down.
Stunned at the two reds, but only proves that the laws are subject to the ref’s interpretation.
Anyway I’m curious to see how this plays out for both clubs.
ManU may have taken the points, but can’t help but realize that Chelsea is a stronger team. ManU seems very heavily dependent on RvP…..Rooney looks lost, but others look happy to find RvP.
Loss certainly brings us closer to the leaders.
In all honesty, defence has it’s place in football. Especially in cup competitions, having a superior defence can make a huge difference. What about that team last year that went through to the final of the South American national team competition by only drawing games because they didn’t score, but didn’t concede either. Or Chelsea in the CL. But in a league format, just having a solid defence without a good attacking threat has never won anything.
dupsffokcuf, anicoll5, steww – thanx, it really does put things into perspective, though i had been looking forward to seeing jack back for some time
. the 3 points helped a lot.
surely after today manure will have to beat us outright, right?
createstrain
October 28, 2012 at 8:54 pm
Wonderful news my friend. May you have many happy sleepless nights taking care of the young un.
So. 6 goals allowed through 9 games. That, is good. League’s best actually. Goals scored is not so pretty though…
C’strain – Congrats on the little Gooner
Here’s to hoping that, by the time he is old enough to watch and enjoy a game with you, you can tell him about all of the silverware we won since he was born! Welcome to The Arsenal family Caiden 
Billturner – I agree fully but I think we will improve greatly in that area. Gervinho has knocked in a few but I would imagine, if history is anything to go by, that he may be out for a few weeks. This might give AA a look in, he looked to be up for it against QPR. Hopefully with Theo coming back aswell that will add real pace to our attack. I really feel we have dropped since Diaby got injured (which must really annoy those who said he was no good) but JW and Sagna will really pick this team up attack wise. I still feel Rosicky will turn out to be our most influential player when he comes back, he was on fire the last 5 months of last season. Utd will be a real test but if we can get 3 points there, that will really shake things up.
Not the first time United were the beneficiaries of incompetent refereeing. Now that can’t be a coincidence! I hate the buggers.
http://www.aclfarsenal.co.uk/?p=9829
Big Al’s been beavering away through the night and brought you his Friday words of wisdom, today.