Eyebrows were raised with the latest addition to Arsenal’s coaching staff
Arsenal 2 – 0 West Bromwich Albion
1 – 0 Arteta (25 pen)
2 – 0 Arteta (64 pen)
Arsenal returned to winning ways with three points lifting them to within striking distance of the top four. The manner of the penalty that was awarded in the first half has overshadowed performances which deserve more recognition. So let’s deal with Santi-gate, take the elephant out of the room.
I hope that the groundsman will be suitably chastised, allowing that daisy to grow on the pitch could have led to a serious injury. Luckily, although it brought down Santi Cazorla, he was able to continue with his involvement in the match.
Football supporters are a curious breed. We like to be holier-than-thou about perceptions and realities of cheating, diving and anything untoward. Arsenal fans can be a little touchy on this subject, the hounding of Pires and Co years ago under the guise of media campaigns that wanted football to be cleaned up, left nerves raw. As much as the criticism of Gareth Bale is driven by being a Tottenham player, there is a sense of revenge, of wanting to return the derision previously received.
And on this occasion, I am not going to chastise Cazorla. Why should I? Two wrongs don’t make a right and so forth. I will continue to disapprove of the actions of opponents in winning dubious penalties, freekicks and I will continue to shrug my shoulders when Arsenal players do the same. Yep, I am a hypocrite.
So to the match. Arsenal started the brighter of the two sides, Gervinho had as good an opening as you could wish for but dragged his shot wide of the target. Cazorla fared little better – albeit more stylishly – ten minutes later whilst Oxlade-Chamberlain and the luckless Gervinho could not force their way through the massed ranks of the Albion defence. Brunt sent a warning to the home side shortly before the opening goal was scored. Mikel Arteta deserves credit for taking the responsibility having missed against Fulham. No mistake from the Spaniard.
Arsenal took heart from the spot-kick with the impressive Wilshere prompting the hosts, scurrying and scuttling with crisp tackles and passes, seemingly indefatigable. The hard work was paying off with (half) chances being created and whilst this was taking place, signs that luck is changing perhaps when the officials spotted the infringement which caused Per Mertesacker to handle in the penalty area.
Oxlade-Chamberlain and Wilshere combined well before and after the interval but still Arsenal could not breakthrough. There was some inevitability perhaps with the second coming from the penalty spot. Arteta once more, growing confidence perhaps? With the backdrop of Cazorla, critics felt emboldened enough to claim that Oxlade-Chamberlain had committed a foul during the build-up. The same critics who berate Michel Platini and Arsène for trying to turn football into non-contact sport.
And contact there certainly was when Olsson challenged Giroud, sending the Frenchman into Albion defenders. Quite why it escalated is beyond me but fair play to Giroud for standing up for himself. Olsson was niggling all afternoon, Jack Wilshere squaring up to his kneecaps at one point, niggles airbrushed out of the post-match criticism rather like plucky little West Brom’s theatrics but we won’t mention them either.
In keeping with his erratic performance in Greece, Gervinho missed with header and shot in the second half before making way for Tomas Rosicky for the final ten minutes or so. Peculiarly Lukas Podolski emerged from the bench, strange given that he had been reported as having a hamstring injury. It offered support to the theory that Wenger is not entirely trusting all of his squad, surely Arshavin could have taken the German’s place? A strange turn of events. The Ivorian was at his usual infuriating best, sliding crosses in, scuffing shots wide and producing air shots when it seemed easier to do otherwise.
Post-match, the legendary reticence of the manager to admit to seeing anything resurfaced but to be fair, you would not expect him to do anything less. More importantly, he noted that the squad had not hidden from their previous poor performances,
we were a bit nervous. I think that showed in the way we took our chances. But you could feel that we were ready for a fight and we knew we absolutely had to win this game. We did it and somewhere, with top-level sportsmen, when you have to win, you win. To deal with the nerves and be serious and resolute, that is what we have shown today.
I understand where he is coming from but as much as there is a danger in reading too much into defeats, there is too much eagerness to declare the poor form is over. Neither extreme is true. Arsenal have problems which have not gone away but they are being addressed. It is too soon to declare them solved and an upward curve embarked upon. A few more wins and perhaps that might be more readily believed.
’til Tomorrow
I think, over the last 5 years midfield has been the strongest area at Arsenal. Even after so many departures it’s still the case.
At ManU, the three titles in 2006-2009 were due to strong defense and wing play. Now, when their defense has deteriorated, they are setting on a collection of super strikers. Midfield creativity is again a footnote for them.
So, objectively not easy to compare. But the fact that Carrick is not an international player actually help him to stay fit and perform (the Red Nose leaves his players out of international football on purpose).
To be fair, I think the point was that he is usually fit enough to play.
Crap player but, Arsene did want to sign him once upon a time.
“Arsene did want to sign him once upon a time.”
Really? According to the press we have been interested in everyone.
Mr Bob, well it is a dumb point because of Ateebs initial point that no current Arsenal players could get into either Manchester club. There are loads of players who have been healthier than Ateebs god too but I bet he will not be saying that most ate better.
I think this is a good example of how you enable Ateeb. What he said was utter rubbish.
He has more medals than all of our squad put together. The sad truth.
Andy So did David May ,Medals are no reflection of individual ability.
…are better, but that’s funny…ate better!
That is true. I am not a Carrick fan, but I suppose my point is he is probably better than we give him credit for. If he were as crap as we make out Ferguson would not play him.
Yep, that is besides the point.
i think we did actually nearly sign carrick
the year vieira decided he was leaving and he was on the plane to madrid and dein offered him double bubble last minute and he got back off the plane and stayed..
only for wenger to kick him out the year after coz he reckoned he couldnt play with cesc?? mmm
but we pulled out of the carrick deal and he went to spurs??
some shit like that..
And I would add to that, that sometimes a value to his team may be more than the the technical prowess of a player.
He is not crap.Like you say Andy .He simply cant be.
But he is not in the class of Diaby or Rosicky
Carrick is a good player no doubt. But better then diaby or rosicky..no way. Saying that if I could choose who to have out of Carrick and diaby I’d have Carrick just for him being able to play more then 3 games.
hes not in the class of hargreaves either but which one did fergie keep??
Duke, we have enough players on the roster who people obviously don’t rate. I would take the risk with Diaby.
George – agreed
Good point jj. But stop making fergie look good.
But they could not get him out until his contract expired JJ
That would be Arsene’s fault if he was an Arsenal player .
Hargreaves makes our players look like robust physical specimens
Dont worry Duke I have pointed out his stupidity again .
Not surprised you missed the flaw though.
yeah duke i feel all dirty…
why we all talking about utd..?
who started the utd spunkathon tonight?
we all getting a touch of the santos’ or what??
Why doesn’t/ hasn’t wenger loaned out diaby ..then free up a space for someone who can contribute to the good cause.
they didnt offer him a new contract after new contract george
hargreaves had one contract..he spent most of it crocked, it never got renewed..bye bye..
if hed have been with us he’d be in his 7th year and a hailed as a new signing every time he put the crutches in the cupboard..
Who takes an injured players on loan Duke ?
I didn’t see Hargreaves out on loan.
Is stupidity catching? If so move away from JJ .For your own good.
What flaw. They ran his contract down instead of offering him new ones.
Hargreaves went to city.
And obviously we loan or loaned him when he is fit . Doh.
When was that Duke?
And why would you loan a fit Diaby?
George you’d make a shit lawyer.
He got a play per play contract at City
And did not play .I could have given him that
Duke I have spent enough time in court to be a good layer.I will have you know
lawyer even
Er I dunno George, it might be because he will break down after 3 games…..and if he doesn’t by some miracle and is cured then we take him back. Bloody el George sometimes I just don’t know with you, I know you northerners are slow………
Fukin phone.
I am not sure I want to buy you a pint now Duke
Evening Houston, 6.35pm local time and time to hit the bars. It might end up messy this evening, knackered after a flight and beer mode is on. To be fair though, it might all fizzle out if Budweiser is the only brew we can find. Don’t let us down…
I see the Eagle has landed in Houston. Yogi, if you do find a decent bar that actually shows some footie, let me know as The Girlfriend and I should be driving through there in a few weeks. We will probably be there on or around the weekend of Jan 12-13th, in other words just in time for the game against City. Personally I would much rather go to Austin but I think The Girlfriend has some friend in Houston she wants to catch up with. I will just have to remember to not wear my NY Yankees baseball caps, not the most liked team in Texas
After the Bradford game on Tuesday, we have a run of five games that, if all goes to plan, should give us a nice return in points. And if it does not, then let the panic begin in earnest, as the 3 games following are easily the toughest 3 in a row we will play all season. In the league anyways. A bit of vengeance thrown in against Swansea when we meet in the FA Cup should add some spice to the New Year.
TH14 is supposedly coming back again, with the Swansea game being pencilled in as the date for his return. Not quite sure how I feel about him coming back to be honest. No doubting his talent, even at this stage in his career, yet I would much rather see a real signing in Huntelaar or the like.
next 5 games are really crucial as irishgray says.
i hope we get zaha, fellaini or gustavo or m’villa in jan window.