Morning all.
Like a flickering candle in the wind Arsenal kept their faint hopes of the title alive. On the last day of the week which saw Ozil state the obvious and Wenger taking him to task for doing so, Arsenal responded by hammering four past Watford.
Arsenal lined up with a good keeper, four solid and tactically good defenders, two defensive midfielder’s, three footballers in advanced midfield and a tactically intelligent and fast forward.
The game was just four minutes old when Iwobi decided to take centre stage again. He worked the ball towards Alexis Sanchez whose initial header was parried by Gomes but his left footed shot from very close range flew into the top corner. Iwobi assists. Sanchez scores. 1-0.
Arsenal continued to knock on the door and peppered the Watford goal with shots, but the same old story of wasteful finishing or over passing seemed to rear its ugly head once more. During the first half Watford had only one shot at goal but as always with us supporters there is the fear that the opposition will score with their first meaningful shot.
The ball was whizzing around the pitch with Arsenal enjoying the lions share of possession. At one stage the possession was over 70% in favour of Arsenal. The midfield pivot of Coquelin and Elneny made sure that Watford’s forwards only had some crumbs on which to feed. Crumbs which Koscielny and Gabriel managed to gobble up before the opposition could get a sniff of them.
Ozil, Sanchez and Iwobi were playing intricate passes with Welbeck but could not get the ball over the white line. That is until Sanchez turned provider and Iwobi accepted the compliment gleefully. Finally it seems that Ozil has found another footballer from his planet who plays on the same wavelengths as his footballing brain. Sanchez thrives as well and his pass to Iwobi saw him bag an assist while Iwobi made it 2-0.
While that result seemed to put the game to bed the truth was that Arsenal should have at least been 4-0 by the first 30 minutes.
The second half was barely 3 minutes old when Hector Bellerin’s shot deflected in for Arsenal’s third. 3-0
Elneny continued his fine run in Arsenal’s midfield and he controlled the game to allow the three footballers to continue weaving their magic. One should mention the fact that Elneny alone made over 120 passes and his success rate was 96%. That and Coquelin’s defensive solidity made the Watford players look lethargic and leaden footed. The time and space that Elneny and Coquelin alone found and created was incredible, overshadowed only by the footballing intelligence of the three footballing artists in front of them.
Giroud soon replaced Danny to head the attacking department. Iwobi had time to rattle the crossbar before being substituted for Walcott. Alexis was given the benefit of an earlier rest by Campbell. And during the last few minutes these two subs contributed to get Arsenal’s fourth of the day. Campbell assisted and Theo tapped it in. 4-0.
Some interesting stats…….Arsenal scored 4 but Ozil did not get an assist. Strange times. Iwobi has scored 2 and assisted 1 in his last three games. Bellerin has scored 1 and assisted 3 in his last four games.
Maybe Arsene should buy two new RB and stick Bellerin on the right wing and let him fight it out with Iwobi. Hmmmm. That is a mouthwatering thought in my opinion. This could allow Ozil to rest now and then by playing Iwobi in the hole and Bellerin on the right.
With the neighbours dropping two points at Anfield, St Totts Day is back on and if we can’t win the league, let’s hope we at least overtake them.
Written by Devilgunner
Any ideas for Iwobi as a CF?
he hasn’t characteristics to be a cf.
Neither Theo. Yet he has been played there.
Thanks Devil, good post..
Iwobi as striker? Not for me, leave him where he is…
Nice game review DevilG. Finally we have footballers who aren’t afraid to take the ball forward.
Iwobi as a CF? too soon to say. He’s young, he can develop into any position upfront. Bellerin as winger excites me.
Thanks boss.
Yes I agree with regards Iwobi. But he does know where goal is.
Surely though, had AW thought about Bellerin as a winger, he’d have done so by now and played Debuchy at RB..
Nice to have a scoring midfielder for a change…
Thanks Coach, that was a good read…
I saw MotD and some extended highlights on Arsenalist…
Welbeck was unlucky, but he is beginning to really cement the role at the apex of our attack. His movement, technique and speed are a definate upgrade on the more ponderous Giroud…
Iwobi brings so much more to the team than Walcott, he is far more involved and seems to have the trust and confidence of our star players. They recognise a player of quality, a player who is going to make the English FA selectors look the fecking idiots they are!
Thanks Kev.
Iwobi is a footballer.
The selectors can only read as far as good players go. They don’t recognize footballers.
Agree re Iwobi Kev. He’s a busy busy player…
Well Coach, Iwobi has developed under their noses and on their watch…
They are professionals, who I guess must speak to those coaches at the academies dotted around the country.
Why have they been so slow to react?
It’s not as if there is a whole bunch of highly technical English players fighting to get in the National team is there?
Why is Hodgson so desperate to get Wilshere back into the squad?
Jack may be a permacrock, but he’s also the most skilful English player around, who when fit (a big ask I know) would probably get into any international squad/team in the world…
I like Barclay and Deli Alli (spit) is a great talent, and as an Englishman it’s good to see players of that quality developing in our game, bug I still think that Jack is our best.
http://sportwitness.ning.com/forum/topics/meet-arsenal-s-new-target-21-years-old-11-goals-8-assists-in-aust
I wonder how long it will be before AW tells us he knew about Alli…. lol
Elneny is the difference. Direct, speedy and incisive. Coq now only does one footballer’s job, which means he does it very well. Add to this the youthful endeavour of Iwobi and you have a set of happy players.
* Someone needs to look into the background of Dr Bonar – a stain methinks – accusing Leicester and Arsenal (direct title rivals) and Chavs – their hardest remaining game, of doping. What a sham!
Afternoon, as much as we were good, confident, and very easy on the eye, I didn,t know Watford could play that badly, they were awful. but take nothing away from us, the link up play with Sanchez and Bellerin was fantastic,
I wanted to reserve judgement on iwobi, as I felt the same way about Gnabry at one time, but he quickly went off the boil, but Iwobi seems to defiinitely have something about him, and he,s continued progress should be exciting to watch. Elneny looks like he,s been with us a few years, him and Coq really bringing the much needed balance to the team, Ramsey should be now be behind in the pecking order, as is Theo, it,s exactly what we needed as a team, proper competition for places, instead of the usual suspects every week.
The doping story seems to be hot air imo, no actual evidence…
Agree re Elneny Dublin, he certainly looks very much at home..
Interesting story, could have the potential to be a big story,
but the claims that he has treated a few premier league players have been acknowledged as baseless and false. The Sunday Times, who have investigated the story, say they have no independent evidence Bonar treated the players.”
If he’s going to make such an allegation, he should back it up with some facts imo
With the financial clout of Arsenal’s and Chav’s legal teams, this guy had better get prepared for a shit storm.
We know the amount of journalists that are Spuds. Now I am not one for conspiracy theories (much) but it is interesting that this has come out at this stage of the season and ourselves and Leicester are named….
I have watched the game 3x already… overall a good performance; positions and movements of Arsenal were terrific. Ozil telling players were they should go was very telling. Sure Iwobi is only 19 but his decision making have to improve, he makes the same mistakes about 5x a game. Theo knows his days are numbered it’s all in his face. I would swap Theo for Benteke. Kev, I really think Barkley is overated…but that’s another topic; in Jack and Ali thou there are exceptional talents.
Leicester aren’t used to playing ‘after’ everyone else, so it’ll be interesting to see how they respond to this new pressure…
Southampton are a bit hit and miss, on their day, as we always seem to find, they can be a tough nut to crack, on others they can be quite ordinary.
I’d like to see Southampton take the lead and then how Leicester deal with that.
Leicester should win, but I just have hunch that this game has ‘upset’ written all over it…
Dublin, Gnabry is a funny one, in that he looked so good 2/3 years ago, but injuries have ravaged his development…
Going to West Brom was a waste of time playing wise, but in terms of character building it will have hopefully been beneficial…
I’m hoping that Serge might be a late bloomer like Coquelin has proved to be…
Bob, I’m not sure that your average football journalist is intelligent enough to dream up that kind of conspiracy theory… ?
Ye i had high hopes for Gnabry at one stage, injuries were a factor,but just hasn,t developed as we once thought he would, lets hope Iwobi goes on to become a top top player.
I suppose it,s not beyond the realms of all possibilities that banned enhancement drugs could have been used at some time or other by players, it is endemic and has been proved to be the case in most other sports, why should football be any different, lets hope it is all hot air, or if any Arsenal players are guilty they should get their money back, it clearly hasn,t worked. Lol.
Good point Bob…
Come On You Saints…
Benteke Obi? He’s hardly done well at the dippers…
Fingers crossed Southampton are on good form I say…
Dublin, Gnabry hasn’t played in the Arsenal 1st team for 2 years…
He’s lost over a year to injury, that takes a long time to fully recover from, not least physically but also mentally…
He’s 21 this July, so he’s still got plenty of time.
I guess his biggest worry should be being overtaken by younger players in his position…
Obi, fair comment re: Barkley, but I don’t agree… ?
COYSaints
Penalty for Southampton?
Red card????
You do forget these players are so young, Kev.
We have learned from Coquelin, not to give up on young players so quickly, but you have to feel, he,s chances at Arsenal could become even more limited with the expected inevitable new additions, plus the continued progress of Iwobi, Cambell etc.
Leicester 1-0 up
Yeah, that’s true Dublin, maybe next season is gonna be make or break for him, depending on his contract situation…
He’s got Jeff Reine-Adelaide, Chris Willock, Jon Toral, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, to name just 4, all breathing down his neck and all younger than him…
Bloody Leicester are 1-0 ?
Darn, come on Saints…
Catch up later, off to watch the T20 final…
Come on England…..
Alan Green just said on 5Live, penalty for Southampton and red card for Simpson…
Once again a referee influencing a season…
I can’t help thinking if it had been Monreal or Bellerin then a red card would have come out and Southampton would have been awarded a penalty…
Lol yeah right. Like that’s ever going to happen. The league is over rico. O.V.E.R!! We bottled it again plus I ll rather leceister than those shit cnuts. Morning lovely people. Arsenal is just….well arsenal. Did we look good the past 3 games or what? Where was that all season?? I ll tell you where it was. One word “TEAM SELECTION ” and tactics. Sanchez on the right now looks a different beast. Who knew?? I mean I was one of his biggest critics but my word he has won me back. Now it begs the question why play him on the left when you know he’s been sussed out?? And ladies and gentlemen that’s why we won’t win the league. It’s too little too late. Don’t worry about the foxes be wary of the jammy spuds 😀 they just might nick it. So I ll rather leceister pull away than succumb and allow the yids to win it.
Leicester just don’t give up. They had the better of the first 30 minutes but Southampton were unlucky not to score with that Mane chance. Morgan’s first goal of the season could be absolutely massive.
Thats why I would not get too carried away by Arsenal of late, seems like classic Arsenal mentality, only start performing when the pressures off us, yesterday was nothing but false hope,
Damn it,s hard been a Gunner.
Hiya kev 😀
You said it dublin. I just enjoy the game now. Season gone. Hope for a better one next year. Lol
Brudder Stan, how’s it hanging buddy?
Am doing fabulous kev. Am doing fabulous. Just watching the game with a wry smile on my face. Waiting to hear what the wenger apologists has to say at the end of the season. They better come up with a good one 😀
You ll know things are dire when rico chooses to watch cricket rather than follow the leceister game 😀 we re royally fucked people. Don’t get your hopes up. It’s not gonna happen. I just shudder in fear when I think about the managers and players taking the epl by storm next season. We ll be further behind. God help us.
Hey JM when’s the benfica game? They are 6 points off the top with 9 games to play. I think it’s game set and match. Treble of titles in a row. Wow.
Rico…re Benteke, it’s the loserpool system he will strive with Arsenal playing at the pivot essentially a better Giroud….Kev, Barkley’s “only” responsibility at Everton is going forward. He among the leaders in shots, 85, but only 8 goals n 7 assist. Whenever I see Ross play he hardly tracks back.
What a miss by Simpson! Miss of the century. Wow
Obi, I’d like to see Barkley in a better team than Everton, and we might possibly see him in the red shirt of ManUre next season…
Full name Ross Barkley[1]
Date of birth 5 December 1993 (age 22)[1]
Place of birth Liverpool, England
Height 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)[2]
Playing position Attacking midfielder
Club information
Current team
Everton
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
2010– Everton 105 (16)
2012 → Sheffield Wednesday (loan) 13 (4)
2013 → Leeds United (loan)
I think there’s a lot of injuries in there Obi….
Similarities with Wilshere perhaps?
Leicesters success is Arsenals embarrassment…
We should be looking forward to another Arsenal Double this coming May…
No excuse for Wenger or his players…
You gotta admire Leicester…
This is the same southampton team that battered us 4-0.
No excuses, Ozil was right, We screwed up big time, blew our best opportunity in years. Credit to Leicester they deserve it.
I have had the impression for a while that the refs want Leicester to win the league.
goonster, Benfica had played last Friday.
They will be the champions this year.
whithout MU and Liverpool the referees and the system supports Leicester.
True Kev …Re Barkley playing for a better team but in a better team he might not be featured as he’s now…his injuries were earlier in his career. Last 3 seasons 34, 29 and 29 games. Ronald Koeman is pissed off at the officiating….
The consolation is they had lost 3 games, two with us.
That is more annoying than consolation JM. It means we should be out of sight by now. This season should have seen our team as invincibles mk 2 had AW made the right decisions
Afternoon all.
Good Evening Boss and Peeps.
Have you considered this worst scenario……..Manure sack LVG.
And the spuddies get Hosay.
Shuddering.
Thought Jose was off to Utd Devil?
that is what the papers say.
but I would not put it past him to choose the spuds.
especially if he is given money to spend.
Why would they want him when they have Poch?
Pochettino goes to Manure. Forgot to put that
Can’t see it myself… But if Poch is up for grabs, he’d be good for Arsenal…
Thought he was off his rocker meself rico !
Kev, think I just got a bit of your spit in my eye !
He is Micko, always has been…
As for this Alex Owobi, he obviously comes from good stock, his Uncle is Jay Jay Okocha who-ever he is, can’t blame him for choosing Nigeria over Legoland, you should always be proud of where you come from and hopefully he’ll go on to be a legend for his club and homeland, I know, I know….it’s early days yet, mustn’t get carried away.
Off to watch the box, night Micko, Devil and all..
Nite rico, thank your lucky stars you don’t have to sit through The Voice Ireland !
To think if us fans weren’t so fickle this season we’d probably be sitting top of the league right now, we’ve only ourselves to blame.
The Voice UK is bad enough Micko…
Morning…
Morning All
Morning Rico, shame about the cricket. ?
Mick, I blame all the Arsenal season ticket holders, it’s definately their fault we lost at ManUre, Southampton, Barcelona, West Brom and conceded late at Liverpool…
Call themselves supporters eh?!!!
Morning Kev, I really thought they could win. Dreadful last over and possibly the wrong bowler….
Hindsight eh… 😉
I haven’t seen any of it Rico, just heard the result…
Who bowled the last over?
Ben Stokes Kev..
He’d been great in the field but just bowled leg side too much..
Oh, he’s usually reliable Rico…
Do you have a link to any highlights?
Good morning Rco, Kev and all..
Maybe nerves Kev and his dislike of the Windies… 😉
New post up now..
I don’t Kev..
Morning Ts..