Daily Bits and Bobs

How Was That 2-1? Perfect Festive Fixture……..

Posted on by rico

Morning all.

A good morning it is too. I’m chuffed to punch to have seen our boys go to Upton Park and come away with three points. This West Ham isn’t a side like years gone by, it’s a side who were above us in the PL table, a side which Big Sam has got organised and looking competitive, a side who could still finish in a position which would earn them a European place.

Our defence had to dig in deep, especially in the first half. West Ham were unlucky not to have taken the lead when Song’s goal was ruled out for offside in the area. That’s life, we have far too many go against us for me to lose any sleep over that one.

West Ham had a few more chances before the break but we either kept them out or their players couldn’t get a shot on target.

The lady luck struck, not to be awarded a penalty as it was an easy decision for the referee but the way the ball fell nicely for Santi to burst through on goal. Our second just before half-time was really good. Great work from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and a simple tap in for Danny Welbeck.

Half time came and went then soon after the break, Debuchy was out jumped by Kouyate in the penalty area to make the scoreline 2-1. We had many many chances to go further ahead but failed to take them and to be fair to their keeper, he had a good game. They too had chances to draw level but we hung on. By the skin of our teeth at times, but we hung on.

Have to say it was a very entertaining game of football, on another day it could have ended 7-9….

Arsene was clearly very pleased:

We deserved to win the game. It was a typical committed, direct game where we needed to be solid in the air, take our chances on the break. Unfortunately when they came back to 2-1, we had five or six chances on counter-attacks that we couldn’t take, but overall everybody did the job very well, from the ‘keeper to up front.

Next up is Southampton on Thursday….

Have a good day folks……

rico

73 thoughts on “How Was That 2-1? Perfect Festive Fixture……..”

  4. Joe says:

    4 wins and a draw in the last 5 games not a bad run of games.
    Hope every one had a good Christmas got the presents they want and got to spend a lot of time with friends and family.
    Not been posting much up to my eyes at work end of year reports and such.

  6. Hell Raising Devil says:

    I enjoyed yesterday’s game for many reasons.

    1st….its always great to win by whatever score.
    2nd ….Considering the fact that Song on the opposite teamsheet made it sweeter. And what made it sweeter was the fact that this morning I went to see the WHU blogs and the highest mark they gave him was 5.3
    3rd…..I enjoy winning against Fat Sam’s teams. They are always well organised and disciplined plus tough. And to come away with all 3 points from Upton park made it great.
    4th….they were in a superior position in the league before the game. So its no easy game. they are there on merit

  8. Hell Raising Devil says:

    We have a very good team. just a couple of tweaks here and there. however, unless AW gets it into his fucked up head to rotate his team according to the opposition we will never surge ahead. For example…….why not alternate DW23 and OG12 according to the style and the way the opposition plays? Sometimes I thank the Lord that OG12 saw red. That would mean DW23 plays through the middle. and usually he does good and scores through the middle.

    Yesterday Coquelin played ok. I hope that his presence and his performance does not mean that AW thinks he is enough and does not buy the DM we need. Deep down that is what I am afraid of. If Coquelin plays against Southampton and does well again we can kiss buying a DM goodbye. Even though I feel Schneiderlin got sent off on purpose so as to miss the game against us.

  9. Wavy says:

    Morning .
    We’re WHU a top 4 team? We have beaten a team, for the first time that were above us in the league! That surely must indicate improvement, aspiration and we’re looking good for the future!
    I live in hope………
    Good account Rico, but you omitted the toilet wrenching pull on my trousers from the 54 th minute till the final whistle!!

  12. Wavy says:

    Agree Devil, when Snickeditin in the bin got his second yellow he didn’t look too distraught, did he? I wondered exactly the same thing, didn’t want to play against his next team!

    I noticed also that the especially vertically challenged one is seeking to win using his well practised skills as a bully, suggesting that all elements of the footballing world are mounting a campaign of bias and hate towards the chavs. I should like to draw his attention to the fact he is right! We do all hate the chavs and any means by which we, as a body of venom can defeat the diving, punching, fouling and winning by any means legitimate or illegitimate team, will be used against him and his pernicious methods! To, where ever possible defeat may be ensured!
    I hope that is clear enough?
    I can also offer him some remedial medical advice and help. I have the address and phone number of a white coated specialist doctor, a specialist in paranoia. A special one! Should he like to contact a shrink and, I think he does!

  14. Joe says:

    Anybody know the name of the linesman in yesterday’s match that disallowed Song’s goal because I’d like to send him a bottle of Cava.

  15. Hell Raising Devil says:

    I think AW looks like the illusionist who has drawn the bunny out of the hat……….

    Arsene Wenger believes his decision to recall Arsenal midfielder Francis Coquelin from loan and start him against West Ham United has been vindicated after the Frenchman’s performance against the Hammers.

    Coquelin, 23, was recalled from his loan spell at Charlton Athletic earlier this month in efforts to mitigate the injury crisis at the Emirates Stadium.

    The French midfielder was named in Wenger’s starting XI alongside Mathieu Flamini for their visit to Upton Park on Sunday (28 December), a decision that was heavily derided by supporters on social media prior to kick off.

    But supporters and Wenger alike were left with every reason to be pleased with the midfielder’s performance.

    “He played very well, especially in the first half,” Wenger told the club’s official website. “He was very influential and then in the second half he fatigued a bit in the last 20 minutes, but he had a very good performance not only defensively but he also passed quickly, sharply and through the lines. Overall he had a convincing performance.”

    Coquelin has featured in Arsenal’s last four games since his return from Charlton but Sunday’s victory was his first start for the club since January 2013.

  20. Hell Raising Devil says:

    AW will only buy one DM at the most. So its not Schneiderlin and Carvalho. If AW buys it will be just one of them. For this year he has Flamini and Arteta. Next year it will be Coquelin plus one who will come in. The game at Southampton will give us many answers.

  22. Lee says:

    Why keep scrimping on the defensive aspects of the team? Arteta and Flamini both need replacing as does Mertsacker. I suppose Isco could be that midfield destroyer we need! 😉

  25. Joaquim Moreira says:

    Alexis is injury??’ out for 6 weeks…???
    No. Coquelin was made a good game.nothing more. Coquelin and Flamini just defend. They never play ahead. We need a player able to start the game and good in defence.

  26. AndrewH says:

    Good report rico, afternoon house. One point I would comment on, ‘simple tap in for Welbeck’. How many times in the past year have we put in good crosses and our striker hasn’t pushed forward and toed it in. I remember Bendtner twice failing to connect in one match but at least he got there (well nearly!). Its what we need, simple goals because the striker was in the right place at the right time. Well done Welbz.

  28. Hell Raising Devil says:

    There is only one striker that would have made this team great. And by great I mean GREAT. The striker who would simply lie in the box waiting to gobble up those half chances. And boy, did he use to gobble them up. Sadly he has retired long ago.

    Ginge will smile knowing fully well who this striker is.

    Take a bow lads……….PIPPO INZAGHI

  30. allezkev says:

    Maison Berts in Greek St, do a wicked pizza…
    Probably the best I’ve ever had…

    Afternoon All
    Afternoon Rico, vgd post…

    Not seen any of yesterday’s game, but I can see where Coach & co are coming from re: Coquelin…

    I spoke to a French football agent a week or so ago and he was convinced that Wenger is gonna make 2 or 3 signings this Window…

    Mind you, he also said that Yaya Sanogo is a great player… 😐

  31. allezkev says:

    Coach, I would start Coquelin at St Mary’s and see what the lad can do…

    It’s not beyond the bounds of possibility that he could be a late developer, who could do a good job for us… But he had to play to see if that is, or is not, the case…

    Schneiderlin may well have to wait until the Summer…

    JM is putting me off the Portugese chap.
    (Carvalho)

    Sissoko? Is he really the answer???

    Bender ain’t gonna happen.

    All the rest is Agent crapola, intended to acquire new improved terms for their players (and a wad for themselves)…

    Personally my hopes for a January splurge are lower than a football agents morals…

  33. Hell Raising Devil says:

    Yaya is a great player????

    Good thing lunch has been consumed Kev. It would have made me puke all over.

    how are you habib? Business ok at this time of year???

    Of for an 11k run. later lads and lasses.

  35. Hell Raising Devil says:

    Blimey Kev…..are you so much depressed that your hopes are lower than an agent’s moral level???

    OMG

    Like you I agree that Coquelin should be given a chance at St Mary’s

    tell you what……….AW should get Schneiderlin and give Flamini a free next summer. But keep Arteta to rest and rotate Schneiderlin. Like you I think that Coquelin might turn out to be a good squad player. But Schneiderlin is a must for us. And he is EPL experienced.

    But we do need another defender. a CB.

    And get Jenks back. He could play as well. And he has been performing well for WHU.

  38. allezkev says:

    Coach, I agree.
    I haven’t a problem with Coquelin, as he is versatile and can fill in in several positions.
    My problem is with Wenger, and especially if he thinks that Coquelin is the answer on a regular basis and not just a squad player…

  39. Hell Raising Devil says:

    Back. I needed that big time.

    Potter…..Inzaghi was more ruthless than Wright or Henry. Inzaghi was a big game player who had ice in his veins and kept his cool 99.999999999%. He scored in Champions league finals, in cup finals and also at National level. Inzaghi played in a team, whereas Wright and Henry had the team playing for them. With Inzaghi, other players scored as well as players were more intent on marking him and left other players free with the result that Pippo used to pull them out of position which others exploited.

  44. Hell Raising Devil says:

    its always those who grumble at anything Joe. There are supporters who pretend we win every game 10-0 and even then they will still grumble about something.

    in the last 9 games we have obtained good results……however its important to realise that we need to upgrade the squad. We need better players imo…..esp in CB and DM positions.

  45. potter says:

    Might be true about Inghazi but I would settle for Wrighty about now. In my regular football watching only one player comes above him in the desire and ability to score goals and that was Jimmy Greaves.

  46. eduardo says:

    I don’t go along with all this “west ham unlucky on the Song goal” thing, as it was clearly the right call, it would only have been unlucky if it was the wrong call.

    As for the link to that seville player, seeing as yesterday is Spain’s equivalent to April fools day, I’d not get too excited about his signing just yet. but as its been rumored for some time we have watched him, there may be something more to it.

  47. Hell Raising Devil says:

    Eduardo….just go throughout the WHU blogs and check for yourself how they rated their players. Only their keeper got 8. the rest got less than 6.5 and in some cases there were about three players who got 4.5. You would think that had they played well and were cheated out of it they would have got high marks.

    The WHU unlucky call on Song goal is simply just them trying to hang on to the floating straws. The call by the ref and linos was the right call. In no way did the ref make the wrong call. Yes some refs might have given it…….but it does not mean its right.

  48. eduardo says:

    well hell raising devil I think the lucky arsenal thing is being put out there not by West Ham fans, but by the arsenal fans with a negative agenda. It don’t suit them to say the goal was rightly ruled out, or that Arsenal were the team with all the clear cut chances, and could easily have scored six or seven – Welbeck x 2, ox x2, cazorla x 2, alexis all had very decent chances they did not take.

  49. Hell Raising Devil says:

    You are right Eduardo. the team is creating the chances and plenty too. But we are not taking them. I have been saying for a long time now…..soon, someone, somewhere is going to get a thrashing. And by a thrashing I don’t mean 3 or 4 but rather 9 or 10. It will be a day when everything goes in for us.

    However we have to make sure we are impenetrable at the back. And until the attacking department is convinced that those at the back are reliable, such a score will never materialise.

    With a couple of right additions I feel that that thrashing will come sooner than expected.

  54. Lee says:

    Brudder, it was -2.5c on the display in my car this morning….

    Question, what’s the difference between realism and negativity?

  56. Lee says:

    Like you do already and have done for the last 50+ years, would be my answer? Or do you mean like Arsenal Inc would like you too? Obviously spend copious amounts of your hard earned in the bar/restaurant/shop!

  57. Lee says:

    I’m over the moon with our recent form but I’d like to see us beating our close rivals something that Wenger hasn’t really been able to do of late…… embarrassing really when you think we’ve not beaten Chelsea, City,Manure,Liverpool,Everton or that shower of shite up the road this season!!

  61. rico says:

    I just had my red hat one, needed it outside this morning. Jack has been very very busy, even the watering can of water I left in the shed has frozen.

    Clouds coming over now and I think the white stuff will soon be here……..

    Morning Lee, Adam and all….

  63. Lee says:

    Do not mention “Frozen” to me…………. my 6yr old daughter if not watching the film has been singing various songs from it! Just a few times to say the least!!! 😉

  69. allezkev says:

    Pity Agag isn’t here, there are some mega sales going on in London Town, with more to come in January….

    A good time to spend some of that Crimbo dosh on…………..
    A new red hat….

  71. allezkev says:

    You know what Rico, if I want a good laugh, I just re-read all those Cavani to Arsenal for £50/£60/£70/make it up yourself, rumours…
    Guarenteed to keep you chuckling all day.

    And despite the rediculous nature of the rumour, those brain-dead tosspots in the Press, keep on repeating it….

    It keeps me in stitches for hours….. 😛

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