An auspicious Tuesday afternoon began with a wonderful display by our reserve team, with two undoubted stars of the future, Chuks Aneke and JET, putting in superb performances while scoring all four goals between them as we beat West Ham 4:1.
The weather, not to be outdone, decided to join in, with a swift and dramatic change from a gloriously sunny autumn day, to a darkly brooding and ominous afternoon, with a build up of threatening cloud promising mayhem. A spectacular display of thunder and lightning soon serenaded us, as the time for departure for the evening game against Shakhtar Donetsk approached, amid a torrential downpour.
Approaching the Emirates there had been a gradual accumulation of excited fans swelling the crowd chatting quietly about the coming game. The rain had eased off and all the talk was of Cesc, Theo and Eduardo. Eduardo? Well that sweet little guy still has a warm place in the heart of us gooners.
The game itself started slowly, with the Gunners exerting control, with their consummate skill, without ever really looking threatening. All the while Shakhtar seemed to have little attacking ambitions so it was possible to spend a little time observing the crowd in the magnificent stadium.
Highbury was infamous, in the eyes of some, for being so quiet that it became known as “the Highbury Library”, and the Emirates Stadium seems to be developing a similar reputation. Why is this, you might ask? My theory is that the Stadium is so huge that individual voices simply get dissipated in the background susurration, and, secondly, there has been a tremendous change in the demographics of the crowd from the “old” days, as more women and family groups now comprise a significant proportion of the fan base, with their correspondingly “soft” voices. A price well worth paying it seems to me.
Back then to the game, and the key players and incidents that caught the eye. Cesc came thru a 58 minute run out, after a prolonged injury absence, and played well, including scoring a penalty, without his usual sharpness. More game time will soon sort that out. Theo, after yet another injury scare, came on for what is becoming his usual cameo role, and looked keen and full of running. But the two Arsenal players who deserve special mention, on the night, were Samir and Jack. Sami is a brilliant player but, like certain other Arsenal players, often displays a disconcerting lack of consistency. Last night he simply ran the show with mazy dribbles and sweet passing.
However, the most dynamic player, on either side, was “our Jack”. His brilliant passing, incisive runs and commitment shone through on a wonderful night for all gooners.
In the 19th minute, a horror goal, of Almunia proportions, occurred when from a Sami corner the Shakhtar keeper, Andriy Pyatov, spilled a simple ball to Djourou who managed to find Song who finally put it away in a melee of feet. Then Sami took a deflected cross in his stride and dribbled around a couple of defenders before smashing the ball into the onion bag.
The performance, after the break, was even more upbeat. Cesc slotted a penalty, and then Jack had a wonderful, classy display of stunning “one two” interchanges with Tomas, who had an encouragingly skilful game, before chipping their keeper for our fourth. Chammy received a neat chip from Sami, in what seemed, possibly, an offside position, before making it five.
But the goal of the night was reserved for that “sweet little man” Dudu. He started the Shakhtar move, which he finished with gusto producing a tremendous, instinctive shot, and the whole stadium stood as one to give “our No 9” a standing ovation.
What a fabulous finale. We had won decisively but “one of our own” had picked up a superb consolation goal.
An afternoon that had started with our youngsters pulling off a sublime win over the Hammers, highlighted by an aerial fireworks display, courtesy of the weather, was finished with a cracking evening game in which all our heroes played their part.
Now that is what football and supporting the mighty Arsenal is all about!
Written by Red Arse
Morning all
Thanks for the post RA, it’s a great read, seems you had it all, the weather, cesc back, dudu back and a fab 5-1 victory…
I didn’t see the game, only the goals and Jacks was very very special 🙂
A nice gentle run out and a comfortable win ahead of the game at City on Sunday – just what was needed. I’m not bothered that we barely got out of second gear, as we did everything we needed to do and no more – if it had been Chelsea everyone would be lauding them for doing a good professional job. With City having two days less rest, the benefit of the easy second half will hopefully serve us well on Sunday.
Highlight of the night for me (other than the Eduardo ovation, which was just class) was Nasri’s delicate sand wedge of a pass for Chamakh’s goal. I honestly don’t know how you play a ball with that level of delicacy. Magical stuff.
http://thearmchairsportsfan.com/2010/10/19/eduardo-provides-the-perfect-end-to-arsenals-near-perfect-evening/
Morning all.i’m amazed how nasri’s consistency has gone under the radar in the media.lets hope it stays the same.it would be cruel to bench nasri right now especially with theo returning.
Morning Rico,
It was a really great day, and I am convinced I was sitting next to WATH. 🙂
If it wasn’t him, I would advise WATH to sue for personation.
I would be happy to be a witness. I saw him Officer dressed just like WATH; woolly “Gretel” benni hat with a white bobble (a la Santa Claus), a red jerkin and long black shorts and high white socks, all finished off with shiny black winkle pickers, silver buckle and curly toes.
And about 4′ tall. 🙂
@tim
Sami is the chip assist man! Remember his assist for fab last ssn at burnley? Spectacular
Hi RA and KT, wish I’d seen the game,
RA, thank you so much for the post, busy today, last day of hols and home tomorrow…. sounds like you really did have a wonderful time, I’m envious 😉
KT, spot on re Nasri, he really has settled now and performing week in week out. Has to be one of the first names on the team sheet for City…
KT,
There is no chance Samir will be put on the bench. He is playing with classy assurance at the mo’. Anyway, with Jack banned, he will needed more than ever.
I am still not sure about Theo, to be honest, but Arshavin is the one who is likely to be benched, if anyone is.
Jack is playing at a level that he would walk in most premiership midfields bar chelsea.AA has even said jack is better than him right now.i hope he doesn’t do ‘a rooney’ on us as he is really growing on us.who would have known that a fresh faced 9 year old would walk into our academy of all in the country only to star in the first team 9 years later?he was born to play for us and lets hope he retires here.
Morning y’all. An excellent display by the boys last night and alot of positives: Flappyhandski was alright, Cesc’s back, Nasri has been excellent, the Wilshere-Chamarkh link up seems to be working fine especially as Chamarkh has blended in like he’s been playing in the squad for years!
Citeh next, Come on The Arsenal!!
I also like the look of Squillaci.he is abit like rio in that he is barely noticeable and thats a good thing.djourou is also improving alot and its good to see us having a big lump at the back for once.
I’m off all, hectic one today, back after lunch 🙂
Hi T-buzz 😉
Hi T-buzz,
You are right. Mind you from where I was sitting, I distinctly saw Chammy look at the assistant flag merchant first, before taking on his shot for the 5th goal.
He then almost blew it, but I was very pleased he got the reward his hard work deserved. Wasn’t Samir’s chip over the defence to him superb?
KT,
I forgot to mention Squidgy. At first, when we bought him, I was not that bothered about him, but what impressed me being at the Stadium, was something which I had not seen watching the TV, was that he is always talking to the rest of the defence, telling them, especially Eboue and Clichy, what to do and where to go, although Clichy just ignored him!
The Squidge is growing on me. 🙂
Chamakh broke a CL record of scoring in 6 consecutive CL games.we also broke the record for most goals scored in the opening 3 CL games-14 which was previously held by Madrid-12.
RA Squilli is a leader at the back providing a calming influence at the back.its almost unreal that chamakh and jacky boy are free transfers…AW is a genius no matter what Pulis says.
Nasri is decent at chip assists lol. Remember the assist to Fabregas last season against Burnley ?
Damien it seems vela has really taught our players how to ‘chip them’.the chip pass for fab last season was just as sublime.
Rosicky also was on fire last night with his expert tackles…. Heres a tribute!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iH5UxBdIKgw
Rosicky should start ahead of AA right now as he is in better form but against the defensive city AA will start.
I like Rosicky, just wished could score some goals as reward for his hard work.
RA, yeah, Chamarkh got away with it cos Andy Grey said the same thing i was thinking: score 1st then look at the linesman after. 🙂
Oliver,
If I am not around when you come on, I just cannot believe how the Yankees folded. It could be all over tonight.
Molina seems to have done it again. Burnett walked Murphy with Cruz on 2nd, but it really back fired spectacularly, and not for the first time. Can’t talk about it!!
It is important for my morale that the Jints beat the Cowboys on Monday next.
What I was really impressed about with Tomas, wasn’t his dribbling skills, which is a given, although rather wasted out on the wing,but when he lost the ball he chased back to recover very well.
On the other hand I am still not happy with Clichy. He plays like an attacking wing back and defending is a luxury add on. Not what we need!
Yeah, Clichy wasnt at his best last night, dispossessed a number of times, his crossing was off as well, either too short or too long. I wonder why his form’s dipped….
Very good post nice to hear of people’s perspective of a game and the atmosphere. . . Thought we did just enough without actually ever doing to much. Shame little Jack won’t be available for the game against the manchester arabs, he really is becoming rather influential. I thought Clichy played ok just makes very silly basic mistakes that do create problems.
Yep, silly mistakes that can cost us. He needs to be more careful
morning all….ra, nice write-up…i was rather disappointed in shakhtar – i thought they were poor in almost every respect. that is not intended to take anything away from arsenal, but this cl group is turning into the sort that i used to complain man united always got – our side and three patsies. i am sure the return leg in donestk will be more difficult, and i shouldn’t complain – arsenal are not responsible for the draw and can only beat who is in front of us…
yanks are quite clearly in trouble…they had to win last night, and it could be all over by the end of this evening. girardi rolled the dice with burnett and it backfired on him. now cc has to keep their season alive. phillies are also in a spot of bother, although not as dire as the yankees. we’ll see what happens. teixeira is out for the rest of post-season and nobody – other than cano – is hitting. rangers are doing everything you would expect the yankees to do.
I agree whole heartedly T-Buzz, for me Gael has gone backwards as a player ever since that dreadful mistake against the spuds that allowed them back to draw 4-4 the other year, he tried to be far to fancy defensively when he doesn’t need to be and that creates danger and problems for us when he must do the simple thing and sometimes the downright ugly and just hoof the ball to safety. He did attack the ball a lot more last night but also is far to far away from the winger for my liking giving them far to much space and time. I hope Gibbs is the answer as much as I like Gael for me he really isn’t a great left back and most definately not at the moment however committed he is.
Sammy,
It’s a pity about Clichy. Three or four years ago I thought he was going to be better than Cashley Cole.
Not now. He plays well then looks like he is always going to give away a goal because he either comes into a central position leaving opposing wingers free licence, or he tears off up field, gets dispossessed with the same result.
At this stage, I don’t think he can change.
Hi Oliver,
You are correct that we can only beat the team in front of us. In previous years Manu were frequently in those rubbish groups, so we should not complain. In fact, their group is weak this year too.
Nuff said about the Yankees, except fingers crossed for tonight.
ra, i am certainly happy for the win – we are just about into the knockout stage – the numbers of goals we have scored is virtually an extra point in the standings. every year it seemed as though united drew a cupcake group, so i should not begrudge our team. even with the indifferent competition, we can still do some firsts: winning in serbia (done), ukraine, and portugal. we’ll see.
at least we have no extra injuries. that was a concern of mine coming in.
Good afternoon Mr RA, yes I am in total agreement with you I think Gael is unable to change the way he now plays, he has a few very obvious defensive flaws and we are havng opposition teams pick them out far to regularly for my liking. He is far to far from his opponent to mark properly galavants forward like a winger and then we get caught out as he is far to often out of position. As you say at one stage I also thought he’d be better than Cashley but alas !! fingers crossed Gibbs progresses as we all hope and takes his place in the very near future.
Spot on Sammy! 🙂
We are friends now so you don’t need to call me Mr! (although I have, occasionally been called worse!) 🙂
Mr RA sounds so much better than RA……….. Where is the lady of the house? it’s been a while since I have had time to comment but have not missed many posts but work mostly deems it unable to spend time chatting all things Arsenal but I am looking at trying to make a little more time. It seems we agree then that we need a new left back that’s for sure and I hope those maggots from the catalan capital then come waste 15million on rescueing poor Gael lol !
Hi Sammy,
had to buzz off for a while. Young Rico is currently packing up and returning home from holiday tomorrow, so she has been a bit busy.
How about writing a Post to welcome her back? You have certainly got the talent. 🙂
Anyone know how I do an “oops”? Is it :oops, or oops:
I have to make an apology! 🙂
well it’s none of those. :oops was my bet. Oh well.
or is it ;oops ;oops: or :oops) ?
Mr RA, ops is a military term I think, Ooops more likely if I was writing it. A post to welcome Lady Rico back, I’m sure a post isn’t quite what she’d enjoy, after a trip back from a holiday I’d rather wager a good nights sleep would be order of the day. A post of mine would prob do the trick in helping her sleep in my opinion lol
Sammy,
What I had in mind is the blushing smiley face of an apology. A kind person on here did tell me how to do it once, but I have forgotten how. Military ops, indeed! 🙂
Anyway, I have decided not to apologise, and will blame you instead! 🙂
Ah Mr RA I now see why you have been called a lot worse that “Mr” A stirrer of said pot I do believe. Please hold onto your lightbult while I try and fetch you anice big shovel for you…!
I am unable to help with the ooops thing then as I have no idea what your on about.
Sammy,
Are you still out there?
Bayern were so lucky last night against CFR Cluj.i have never seen lady luck smile on a team so much in a game.the cluj CB nearly had a hattrick of own goals.
I did not get a chance to see it KT.
Hopefully, they will show some highlights before tonight’s matches.
I’m still here Mr RA but i am being very quiet incase I get blamed for something that your obviously very guilty of yourself.
RA Bayern have used their luck for the season.Madrid are looking dangerous though;özil,di maria and CR7 are firing.if higuain starts firing they’ll be a force since they are not leaking goals at the back.
I hope jack doesn’t go all rooney on us.if fab can give us two more seasons for jack to learn from him we’ll be in good shape.
“once a blue,always a sky blue.”-rooney.
We have been very ruthless in Europe-28 shots on goal have resulted in 14 goals.thats 50% which is very clinical and it could’ve been more if not for the Belgrade goalie against whom we had 13 shots on target against but was on form that day.
KT, 🙂
Sammy, to make sure another blogger realises you are kidding, it’s important to put a smiley on your comment, unless you sren’t joking, of course.
So if you type : – ) but all joined up, you get a smiley 🙂
If you place your cursor over the smiley, you can see what the key strokes are that you need to type.
I was asking you (well anyone really) if you knew how to do an “oops” which produces a “blushing” smiley face, for apologising. O.K. 🙂
Ah well as far as smileys go Mr RA I’m pretty useless so I’ll refrain for now!
I may be way off pad here but i am of the opinion that Mrs Rooney is the driving force behind his wanting out of Man Usa? I cannot see him joining the manchester arab revolution either I don’t know why but I just can’t see it, I think europe beckons and he can’t wait to get out of England and mores the point nor can Mrs Roo….! I wonder if we can swop him for sicknote Robin?, anyone..?
afternoon all…perhaps i should not hearken back to this, but rooney has apparently issued a statement suggesting his confirmed desire for a transfer is due to the club not strengthening the squad over the summer…
i thought that sort of thing only happened at arsenal…
After all the effort I went to explaining smiley’s to you Sammy, I would not say you are useless, but look no smiley!
I made a mistake earlier, we are clearly not friends, so don’t fool with my tag. In fact don’t address me at all.
Hi Oliver,
I think his agent is behind all this, as I said yeterday.
Ferguson has tried to paint Rooney into a corner as a money grabbing so and so. The Manu fans will rip a new one for him, so this is a diversion to justify as being the club’s fault.
As they all laughed at us over Cesc, I have no sympathy for any of them. 🙂
KT,
Your statistical knowledge, as always, is terrific. 50% wow!
Mr RA it seems your the sensative type lol, I’ll stick to lol that I can cope with.
I’m off home for the evening so I wish you all a fond farewell and hope to be able to come and chat again soon.
could be. the “24 hours later” statement smacks of careful calibration and calculation. regardless of the motive, he has said – with his own mouth/keyboard – that he prefers a transfer. so it appears it will take that much more to reconcile the two sides…
that is their problem – nothing to do with arsenal, and i do not ever expect to see rooney in one of our shirts.
Oliver,
Any idea what time the Giants game is on in the US?
I would like to work out if I can stay up to watch it.
Rooney barely speaks English!…imagine spanish in a scouse accent…nope!
Oliver,
I read elsewhere that Rooney had a medical with us when he was on the verge of leaving Everton.
The Manu financial power blew us out of the water at that time. I think the same will be true this time, except there are any number of clubs capable of doing the same thing this time.
RA we need to transfer that ruthlessness to the PL.and regarding rooney;i thought he has signed a new contract…shrek 5!
KT, 🙂
With a fully fit squad AW will have selection headaches.playing cesc and jack is like playing two cescs meaning we always control the midfield ensuring we are not attacked for most periods.if cesc wasn’t catalan we would have our xavi-iniesta partnership but hopefully jack and ramsey develop such an understanding.
ra, dallas cowboys versus new york giants will kickoff at 8:30pm est, monday, october 25 at cowboys stadium, dallas, texas…that is well into the early morning hours for you, so if you can stay up to catch it, you are better than i am. it kicks off early evening for me, but i will still not be able to catch the entire game. a mere twenty days later, the two teams do it again, this time at a more manageable 4:15pm est, sunday afternoon…
rooney having a med at arsenal?? i find that a bit difficult to believe. as i remember, once he requested to leave everton, united were virtually the only destination spoken of. i think if he did have a med with us, we would have heard about it before now – and his transfer from everton was several years ago. arsene was a professed rooney admirer from long ago – remember when he scored the goal that gave us our first league away loss in ages up at goodison? he was sixteen or so then and arsene called him the “biggest english talent” he had seen.
not saying your source is automatically wrong – perhaps a rooney medical arsenal could have been concealed – just that i find it difficult to believe based on the already-intense speculation about rooney leaving everton and arsene’s already-expressed admiration for the player.
Milan fielded a midfield of Seedorf-Pirlo-Gattuso with a combined age of 97!…
Oliver,
Re the Rooney medical, I was only reporting what I had read. I seriously doubt it too. Supposed to have been someone who worked at Arsenal, at the time. 1 out of 10 I think. 🙂
Thanks for the K.Off update, that early hours broadcst may be why even ESPN are not advertising the game over here. It’s v. frustrating.
KT, are you pulling my plonker? 971? 🙂
RA i wonder how flamini is feeling right now.97 years compared to our 63 last night is just too much.past a certain threshold experience becomes a liability without the lungs and legs to accompany it.
ra, the first i heard of it is when you mentioned it. the classic “source” that “worked at arsenal at the time”, huh? i choose not to believe – nothing personal…
giants have the monday night game at dallas and then go into the bye week. have a few odd injuries at the o-line, and some of the receivers have some bumps and bruises…in fact, i can say “(hakeem) nicks is carrying a few nicks”…hopefully we will have kiawanuka back after the bye – that will make the pass rush even better.
Oliver i also don’t believe rooney had visited us.CR7 is the only player that we know for sure had visited our training ground.
yeah, ra says he heard that somewhere. it sounds as though neither of us have – i know i have not – and i imagine if there was any credibility to it, it would have gotten some actual run…
now, i have heard that cristiano ronaldo was on the verge of signing for us when united called. i wonder how he would have turned out if signed with us instead? would he have heralded an era of unprecedented success? or would he have developed into something not quite was he was at his peak with united? who knows, perhaps somewhere in between the two.
We all appear to be in agreement on the Rooney medical! 🙂
Nite guys.
later…good luck to your team tonight….their ace has the ball…
Boo, hi all, sorry for my going AWOL, what a day, just going to see if i can catch up….
spuds losing then, now that’s a shame 😉
all quiet so i’m oof again, back to normal tommorrow afternoon for me 🙂
stay safe all….
Rico,
It is now 12:36 in the year of Our Lord, 2010.
Where am you? Do you need a hand squashing the hounds into the car, or are you cycling back?
Modern women, I don’t know! Tsk tsk. 🙂
Oliver, we won!! Yaay. Knew we Yankees could do it. I don’t know why I was so gloomy. 🙂
Sammy, I remembered how to do an oops! 😳 Now you can call me Mr, if you want! 🙂
It seems noone is around all awaiting the return of the Lady of the House. RP7 to Crawley? I think not surely.
Sammy,
I will have a severe word with her when she gets back!
As if. 🙂
I read that Liverpuddle are interested in signing RP7 on a short term deal.
Probably a load of horse feathers! 🙂
Howdy y’all!!
Did Rico pull a sicky?? 🙁
Hi T-Buzz,
She thought she would be back in operation by this afternoon. But she might have been caught up in traffic, or eloped. Who knows? 🙂
i met rico down the road and said he had to go get some fish and chips and apparently there is a big queue over there.
It is the best chippie in town. 🙂
SD, you are a very naughty boy! 🙂
I know you are telling porkies because Rico is a tall, skinny, blonde “she”. Or am I telling porkies? 🙂
I have just had fish and chips at Sea Pebbles, and that is the best i have ever been to!
I see… thanks for the update SD!! LOL
By the way, not looking good for Vermaenator
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/a/arsenal/9114966.stm
T-buzz,
What is it with our players?
Theo gets a tap on the ankle, and is out for weeks. RVP stubs his foot and is out with an ankle injury for months. TV … well i don’t know how he got his injury, but AW said earlier he would be back in 10 days. Now it seems he will be out for months. What a bummer. 🙁
ell me about it R.A.
How did Koscielny get injured too, I wonder? It also makes you wonder what the hell the medical use on these players that they sem to take forever to heal!! Bluetac and cellotape? It seems our players have brittle bones, skin made from fruit and spaghetti ligaments! Realy concernng…..
One thing I would not call TV is brittle but it’s just amazin that it’s always our players who get these long term injuries when away on international duty. I loathe international football now purely because it just means we all know that a number of our players will come back injured and our for god know’s how long.
New Post up guys and gals, its been up since 10am 😉 😉