Morning all.
More poor officiating was on show last night as the neighbours not only opened the scoring against Swansea with a clear offside goal but just after halftime, they should have been down to ten men. I’m not suggesting Swansea would have won the match, but 35 mins against ten men with the score at 0-0 as it should have been, it might have been a very different game. Swansea City are in dire need of points and they have every reason to feel aggrieved this morning. As said yesterday, points can mean the difference between survival and relegation and the Welsh club are battling to avoid the latter.
More bad news, or rather publicity for Arsenal as 22 year old Chuba Akpom was up in court for crashing his £60,000 Range Rover after being out partying. He’s been fined £9,350, with £85 costs and disqualified from driving for 17 months after admitting driving the Range Rover with more than double the legal limit of alcohol in his system. I’d say that’s the end of his Arsenal career, if it wasn’t already pretty much coming to an end. What is wrong with people? If one can afford a £60,000 car, they can afford a cab! Idiot!
Finally, but kind of unsurprisingly, Arsene Wenger has been charged by the FA after he had a rant on television and allegedly in the officials changing room after the West Brom match. Don’t accept the charge Arsene, face the FA yourself and tell them what you really think about Riley, Dean and all the other halfwits who are given a whistle of flag on a match day. To make matters worse, the PGMOL has issued a statement following the wrongfully awarded penalty:
“The angle from which Mike Dean saw the incident made it look like Calum Chambers was attempting to handle to ball.
“If VAR had been in use, Mike would have made a more informed decision. He would have had the chance to see the reverse angle which shows the Arsenal defender was trying hard not to handle the ball.
Doesn’t help us though does it, no, that’s two big points dropped, two points that we could do with. But as said after the game, we should be battering clubs like West Brom not be left moaning about an incorrect decision on 89 minutes of the game. It’s shows just how far the club we all love has fallen over recent years.
We’re in a mess, a mess which Arsene Wenger can’t get us out of. He’s let it go too far and he’s not the man to rectify the situation either. There’s probably a lot of Arsenal fans who will disagree with me but when someone can’t even see the problems they’ve created, there’s absolutely no way they can be expected to put things right. Certainly not after so long and our problems haven’t just appeared overnight, we are where we are because of the last seven or eight seasons, if not longer. I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt during the period after moving to The Emirates because unlike now, there wasn’t such vast amounts of money ploughed into the game and he didn’t have large amounts to spend on players but even so, didn’t he buy some rubbish with what he did have?
Sport, certainly team sport, isn’t always about who a club spends money on though. It helps to have millions of course and who’s to say Arsene Wenger hasn’t been told he can spend many millions, it’s about getting the maximum from the players a manager has. Arsene doesn’t do that, he can’t do that because he doesn’t know how to change his ideas. He’s stuck in a rut, Arsenal are too and there’s no getting out of it until Arsene gets out of it.
Tonight it’s Chelsea who travel to The Emirates to face a Wenger team hit by injuries. I’m not going to guess at who will come in for the walking wounded and I’m not going to guess at how we’ll play or what the result will be because I’ve absolutely no idea what to expect from an Arsene Wenger team these days.
Chelsea will have a good go at us, that’s for sure and they’re in good form. Unlike us who are drifting along game after game, not really knowing where we’re going.
Backwards, that’s it. That’s where we’re going….
Many, many times we have all read the ‘groundhog day’ comparisons. Unfortunately, they are true! You are right, we drift along, slowly nudging backwards. Not much, but enough to be a real problem. Sporadically, we serve up a delicious treat which abates a percentage of the hatred, but realistically we are miles behind our rivals. Yes, money does play a huge part – City have spent £274m more than us in the last 18 months. However, we all know the cure. It doesn’t need mentioning. My wish – no more hatred towards a certain manager – he deserves some respect, and a fingers crossed for Louis Enrique:)
Nice one Rico, good post.
Have to agree with about the mild mannered Wenger having a real good go at the PGMOL about their standards of ‘control’ or rather the lack of it. As for the statement they issued it serves two purposes firstly, it emphasise the fact that Dean wasn’t in position to make the right call, therefore he should have waved play on and, secondly it demonstrates the absolute need for instant video referral for the sake of fairness.
In a sense this incident should be the straw that broke the camel’s back as regards the referral system. The referees do the best that they can or call it as they see it, can no longer be acceptable in this highly supported techno age. Why they have been so reluctant to adopt ‘replays’ baffles me and so many others. If there is one thing that makes me really angry, and not much does, is that feeling that my team, in this instance has been unjustly treated, often contemptibly, by a bunch of self serving untouchables who are demonstrably wrong but never publicly apologise or even seek to right such obvious wrongs. Moreover, they will seek to deflect their own incompences by attacking the offended party, vis a vis Arsene Wenger in this instance. It’s a little like being part of a totalitarian state, where any view or statement of criticism, rather than being dealt with intelligently, addressed maturely and objectively, is, instead jumped upon and the ‘innocent miscreants’ are fined or whatever to hang them out to dry without any recourse to natural justice.
Time both the FA and PGMOL grew a pair and accepted that they are far from perfect but accepted the fact that with a little bit of help from TV replays both teams could leave the field of play at the end of the game knowing that they had not been the subject of any form of referereeing injustice and that the final result represents an untainted outcome.
I wish….don’t we all wish?
Morning all another wild one where we aren’t!
Trouble is Db, it’s hard to respect a man who is ruining our club…
Thanks Wavy. That was my view too. How Dean make a call on an incident he didn’t fully see. It’s pure guesswork and damaging.
It shouldn’t be Wenger up in front of the FA it should be Dean, Maddley (spelling) too after last nights shoddy performance.
Techno failure….again…..should read, “where we are.” Not aren’t.
Se how easy and quick it is to correct an error!
🙂
I understand that Rico – but there must be a point where enough is enough, where decency dictates. Yes, he’s old, outdated and lost for ideas. We all want him gone, but a weak board and distant money driven owner have meant that he somehow survives! Nevertheless, clubs are founded on history, of which AW has contributed an awful lot.
I do my best not to insult the old codger Db, certainly publicly.. 😉
Morning rico.. nice post. .
I don’t buy the PGMOL statement for one reason and one reason only, which Is Mike carrott Dean. .they already know the idiot has agenda against Arsenal with prevoous incompetent and shocking decisions. .too many and too obvious to ignore and should have never allowed to referee any of Arsenal matches until he retires or just bugger off. .
If it was Fergi team, that knob would never be near any football pitch let alone officiating manure games.
As for tonight I expect the usual 20 mins of OK football from us then the ultimate tedium and collapse.
Sad I know ?
Morning Rico
Good read …thanks…..and …i m prepared for a defeat by 3 goals at least.
Morning Kk, Alex. Thanks.
Agree Kk, Fergie would have had Dean banned long ago, especially when the facts are clear t see for Deal v Arsenal..
If Iwobi starts, I think I’ll switch off…
Danny Mills has just made me laugh whilst talking about the ghastly incident last night involving Jake Livermore. Mills said ‘ The FA need to treat this with common sense which would be a first for them.’….
Amen to that Mills.
Howdy rico, wasn’t Mills involved in a few ghastly incidents himself…….if he was playing today he’d be suspended every other game.
We’re signing a Greek central defender apparently before he heads off on loan…
Hi Micko, I think so, one or two with us too I think..
Konstantinos Mavropanos is the guy..
Obviously a Sven signing. 🙂
Ha ha, must be..
Konstantinos Mavropanos ……..One for the armoury.
Apparently, he’s the next wizzkid coming out of Greece, can’t recall there ever being a first though… lol
rico, we never did replace Tavlaridis !
Talking of wizzkids, 5 merc’s, 3 bmw’s, 3 audi’s and a ford focus parked up in the under 18’s section last weekend, more incidents forecast.
Clocked Wegner training with the 1st team Saturday morning after the Liverpool game, naturally gave him a wide berth.
Micko, I’d forgotten him. Hard to understand how I know but….
These young players are earning far too much money..
You’ve also overlooked Hercules, Achilles, Dionicus ( he even drank TA under the table!) and all the rest of the gang. You only have to beware of Greeks bearing gifts!
If this guy is a gift from the gods then we may be quids in alternatively he may be another Greek dud, and as mentioned earlier they all have that old Achilles heel..hahahahahahaha!
Sorry about that, I’ve got me coat!
Arsenal XI: Cech, Chambers, Mustafi, Holding, Bellerin, Xhaka, Wilshere, Maitland-Niles, Ozil, Alexis, Lacazette
Bench: Ospina, Mertesacker, Coquelin, Elneny, Walcott, Iwobi, Welbeck
The basis of the team at Nottingham on the bench…
Few of those playing tonight too Kev as were down to the bare bones..
Chambers is having a tough old time..
Naughty one by Jack on Fabregas and a booking…
I would think it is fair to say that Maitland Niles is a player! What a talent. I wonder what old Arsene will do to stall his progress?
He’s a real cool player Wavy, wasted at left back though… such a talent, he really is..
Fucking sick and tired of being cheated by corrupt officials.
Does Taylor have money on Chelsea? Coz that was no penalty!,,,,
Even by sheer luck cech should have accidentally saved a penalty by now.. lol..
Your refs are low paid so there is a good chance some are on the take.
Game set and match… it’s ok Wenger you’ve just lost another big game don’t worry yourself stay another 2 yrs.. ? downwards we go….
in Wenger we rust.
That backline of Arsenal is in par with cygan and Stepanovs era… horrendous..
Great player but Hazard is a cheating little shite! And Taylor is as bad as the rest…
Harsh on Cygan Kk ?
Taylor’s decision every bit as bad as Dean’s. Yet more points stolen by bent refs
Agree Bob. We were bossing the game with ease before the pen and Chelsea were all over the place. That pen woke them up..
Carabou matches could be ugly. If we played with that intensity against west brom their penalty wouldn’t have mattered.
Begs the question, why can’t we?
For once I want to hear Wenger
Me too. I hope he says it as it was, he’s got nothing to lose.
Someone should tell Cech to stand up.they all go down the middle.
Henry on Sky cop out as usual won’t say anything against his Belgium cheat Hazard
Just heard that too, goodness knows what’s happened to Henry..
Gallagher too stocking up for Taylor, no doubt in protest about the stick Dean has been getting..
Henry has turned into the French Jeff Stelling listing 3 incidents that hsve gone our way. Piss off Thierry. I knew you were never a proper Arsenal man like Bob Wilson or Frank McLintock.
Seriously……is it worth carrying on watching football ?? I keep watching horrendous decisions from our elite referees (supposedly)
It’s becoming a farce.
Dare I mention the word “Corruption” ?
I thought that Jack Wilshere, in the little that I saw, was superb, I really hope that Southgate doesn’t take him to the World Cup.
Southgate will fill the England squad with players like him, steady but average.
Big difference between them Bob, as much as I enjoyed watching Henry when you think back it was always about him. Just ask Reyes. The only player he couldn’t dominate was Bergkamp.
We just can’t have a break. .when we try to grind out results the PGMOL always have another say..
Taylor definitely was making a point for his bestie Dean. .he was always going to give that penalty ..he seemed to point to the spot even before Hazard had his theatrical reaction. .
Played decent enough I thought. .
Big pluses for AMN and jacky boy
lacaz did well I thought shame he couldnt score. .
Too little too late anyway. .we far behind already.
No amount of preparation pre-game by Arsene Wenger can overcome shit decisions by referees who could be on the take. I only ask the question, as per refs being on the take. But that penalty, the view that Taylor had, & the way that hazard dropped, like the MCC did the Ashes, makes me think that there was something shonky about the decision.
Morning Rico. Good game last night. Dodg, exaggerated penalty and the inevitable fall-out that will follow. Disappointing from Thierry but, for a man with his finger in so many pies, conflict of interests was always on the cards where he is concerned.
looking back on last night I think we are very lucky it was morata we faced.. because imo if that had of been Aguero, kane or a lewandowski…. we’d been hit for 4 or 5 again…
Ozil and Jack played brilliantly. they both need signed up now.
lacazette is struggling imo he needs goals and needs them quick.
Chambers out of his depth imo.
Morning Kel. I think you’re right. Chambers looks rocky but then he has been through the Wenger player-development program. 🙂
Morning Adam, Kel and all.
Holding too I thought but as you say Adam, blame the Wenger school of defending..
Maitland-Niles was super cool and confident I thought..
Wasn’t Hazard an arrogant little s**t in post match interview. Cheating little git.
Rico. Some of the defending was comedic really. At the end especially, we were lucky not to concede.
Yes he was Rico. Hector made him look churlish and unpleasantly Belgian.
It’s so frustrating Adam. If Wenger would allow someone to work with our squad on defending we’d be a far better side, yet he won’t. And the crazy thing is that he can’t see how disorganised we are at the back. These players aren’t bad, they are just lacking guidance and leadership.
Morning Rico and All
Great game to watch midfield/upfront…
Take out musthavacraper… the other
4 were youngish to take on a very
experienced chav attack.
Holding is a bit slow and Chambers
had to much to do..Bellboy was hitting
the other corner flag most of the game,
totally exposed our right position.
Gary Neville was in my opinion wrong to
single out Chambers, musthavacraper
is not a leader of men,he played centre
for a reason,which was to coach through the
game,the other two.
M/niles had a very good game,
but as we all see he got done very easily
at the end,he also has a lot to learn.
Defending is and will always be a yard
upstairs problem for young players.
Anyway thats my opinion,folks.
morning Adam, Rico it’s so bloddy annoying isn’t it… why we cant someone like keown, Dixon come in and help guide them… never happen though.
which is why there has to be a change in management this defensive naivety and point blank refusal to address it can’t go any longer.
that game last night could have been another Bayern type massacre.
Morning Fred.
Like I said earlier, no leadership in defence whatsoever and the younger players are suffering because of it. Merts by be slow, but there’s a reason he and Holding played so well in the FA Cup Final imo.
Kel, his own stubbornness and unwillingness to accept help has been his downfall. Surely Bould would be able to sort our defending out if he was allowed to and if Bould is responsible for the defending and it’s failing, get someone else in…
It’s not bleedin rocket science is it…
rico, I see more pushing and shoving coming out of my church on a Sunday morning, Hazard wouldn’t last 2 minutes before getting trampled !
Afternoon rico and all.
Last night game was very entertaining for the neutrals, with some high quality display from both sides, comical defending from our side and a bismal decision to award a penalty by Taylor.
I hear it’s official now arsenal is the 2nd richest club in world football. .
I don’t know on what bases that assumption is made!
the only certain fact is that we look like a 3rd tier club!
Hi Rico and HH’ers.
Arsenal are so odd, completely Jekyll and Hyde.
So much good undone by Wenger’s blind-spot. Lucky for us, Antonio Conte just can’t seem to beat us.
Great to see Jack in good shape and scoring too. As you and others have pointed out, what a prospect young Maitland-Niles is, but to reach his full potential he will need guidance from a better manager.
Thankfully, because of Chelsea’s quality they didn’t come to defend and it allowed Arsenal to show their attacking quality too. But the question is, if we can breach an expensively assembled defence such as Chelsea’s, twice, why do we struggle against the likes of West Brom and Stoke?
It was similar to the performance against Tottenham, Arsenal were really up for the challenge last night, but to stand any chance of winning the PL title you need the same intensity level every game, not just when you feel like it.
If Bouldy isn’t allowed to have any input in the defensive training at the club after being part of George Graham’s famous back-five, you have to wonder what purpose he serves.
At least there were a few positives, which makes a pleasant change, but we’re still stuck with a manager hopelessly out of his depth and until that changes we’ll be miles away from where we should be.
Micko, he’s pathetic isn’t he for such a talented player.
Afternoon Kk, I read that too and didn’t grasp how that conclusion was made..
Afternoon Herb.
I left the same question last night, why can Wenger get this team up to play well against the top sides, but not the bottom. It has to be complacency. If this team could play like last night each week, we’d certainly win a lot more games, regardless of our shoddy defending…
New post up now.