Lady Luck was certainly on rotten form for us over the weekend, all but at Anfield that is. Man Utd rode yet another wave of good fortune against Watford at Old in the Saturday afternoon fixture that’s for sure. Yesterday in Cardiff Craig Pawson had a dreadful day. Cardiff were winning 1-0, should have been awarded a penalty and then to add insult to injury, Chelsea equalised through Azpilicueta who was well offside and again, Pawson bottled a big decision. Rudiger was the last man when he brought down Zohore who would have otherwise had just the keeper to beat. Then Chelsea nicked the winner. Neither result did us any favours, although Liverpool did, or rather the Toots did. An own goal right at the end of the game gifted Liverpool the win and left us with a chance to sneak above our noisy neighbours tonight.
The international break is over, those who suffered minor injuries are fine. They’re back in the squad for tonight’s match.
Top four and a Europa trophy is what’s on offer between now and May. No one can catch us if we win every single remaining fixture in the league. Third place is ours if we manage to. I doubt we will but then I doubt the clubs around us will either.
Ole reckons the battle for a Champions League place will go to the final day of the season. I don’t, or rather I hope it doesn’t, not considering our final fixture is away at Burnley.
Chelsea and Utd have to play each other. Toots have a fixture against City looming as do Utd and Chelsea have a trip to Anfield to endure too. All three will drop points I’m sure.
Arsenal V Newcastle has produced some great matches, most results have gone in our favour but one that didn’t was back in the Thierry Henry days. 2001 to be precise. The Toon didn’t very often win at Highbury and didn’t really look like doing so on that cold night in December until Graham Poll intervened. A superbly timed tackle by Sol Campbell on Laurent Robert was judged to be a foul. Penalty awarded and Shearer fired home from the spot. Robert scored another just minutes later and Newcastle ran out 3-1 winners. Henry lost the plot, Poll needed a police escort off the pitch as things turned nasty.
We had attitude back in 2001, we had for a long time to be fair but that petered out as hard men were replaced by nothing short of softies. Until now as it seems a bit of an edge is back in this Arsenal team. Xhaka, Sokratis, Kolasinac, Torrieira, Lacazette, Theres a few. Ozil too. Just checking you’re reading… lol
One of the most exciting fixtures though against tonight’s opponents was back in 2012. Rather than go through the ten goals, here they are. Theo Walcott at his best. His third was superb.
Of all the matches though, the 4-4 at home is one which gripes me the most. 4-0 up and cruising. Diaby had a moment of madness and the rest as they say is history.
I’d take a 7-3 tonight although it wouldn’t be as sweet a thumping a side managed by Pardew as it was back then. Seriously though, we need another solid performance with three points secured by the end of it. But it won’t be easy that’s for sure. Newcastle aren’t in a relegation battle right now but they’re not far off. They still need a few points to be safe and they’ll be out to upset the odds tonight. Rafa is no fool, he’d have done his homework.
For Arsenal, well we’re hoping to notch up a tenth home win on the trot, something the invincible team didn’t even manage to do. Another factoid, win tonight and we’ll be on the same number of points we finished last season with.
That’s progress surely…
Enjoy the game guys. COYGS!!
Morning everyone.
Well Rico, you’re right, this is IT, time to stand up and be counted; give your all, no less than 100%. 8 matches to get get 4th or even, snatch 3rd?
The task is not easy and I hope that Emery will treat each match, AND the PLAYERS, as if we’re playing Spurs or Man Utd away.
Frankly, I can’t believe how well we have done and perhaps a little of the luck our nearest contenders had over the weekend will wash our way too.
Thanks for the video Rico. Theo’s goal the best I’ve seen him score. WHAT a match. Football at it’s very best – sheer entertainment!
What’s happened to the standard of football officialdom? This must be the worst bunch of referees and linesmen I have seen in a LOOOONG time!
Seriously dreadful decisions. One simple one from the Fulham/City match was the ball hit a city player before travelling over the line and was a ball’s width over. NO question about it, no debate. To add insult to injury the linesman didn’t see (call) it, so play continued!
I didn’t watch any of the other games but will watch some of the highlights today.
May all our hopes come true tonight.
Good Morning to The Lady of the House and all fellow Gooners in residence.
“Ozil too.”?????????…….”Just checking you’re reading… lol” Whew! I thought for a short moment that Rico had finally lost the plot, but that did wake me up.
Onward and upward against the the Bar Codes. Three more points closer to a Champions League spot next season.
Good morning Rico and all Gooners.
In the sense of automatic Champions League qualification tonight’s match is the first of a run of “Must Win” games.
With a full week to recover, before we play Everton next Sunday, there can be no excuse for giving less than 100% effort this evening.
Yesterday I was channel hopping between Hamilton reeling in LeClerc, in his faltering Ferrari, and stuttering Spurs choking against Liverpuddle. Luckily, I was watching as Lloris fumbled and handed victory to the Scousers. Priceless!!!
Another squad member who can dish it out a bit Rico, Lichtsteiner.
Morning Andorra, Cg and all.
I don’t think Emery will take any opposition for granted, he doesn’t strike me as that kind of guy. Plus, we seem to have more steel in our side, players who want to win.
When Theo was at his best, he was superb but sadly for us, those days were very few and far between. His laidback attitude epitomised the way the last ten years have been imo.
Cg, it is the 1st April. 😜
Morning Cicero, agree, he is another who doesn’t suffer fools.
Same here re Anfield and the GP. Missed Vettel spin but managed to see the Toots cock things up. I smiled I must admit.
But it matters not what others do if we don’t focus on our own performances.
Morning all.
Does this have any legs?
The linesman in the Chavs game being used to see that lot in the dark blue strip simply mistook the scorer as a defender, and froze under the spotlight when realising his error?
What other explanation can there be as that was just too far offside for him not to have seen it, surely?
Also, Loris must be edging his way out after THAT effort hahaha
Rico,
Yes, it is April 1st, but in the very early morning here. So, I was and still am not fully awake/alert, but your comment did temporarily snap me out of my near stupor.
I’ll check back in after the Newcastle game.
No idea Scott. Thankfully next season VAR will overturn such huge errors. I thought Warnock was going to give himself a heart attack, he went bonkers. Understandably though as those two big decisions against them could mean relegation for them.
Rico, I’m amazed he didn’t take a swing lol
Phenomenally bad call.
One of the worst I’ve ever seen to be honest.
Surely it’s time that referees and their assistants should be made to explain such outrageously bad decisions. If not the actual culprit, then at least a senior member of PGMOL should publicly offer an explanation and where necessary an apology. Meanwhile the offending officials concerned should be stood down and sent for a period of retraining.
I couldn’t believe they didn’t get a penalty too Scott, it was so clearly a foul by Rudiger. Terrible officiating all round really..
Ha ha Cg. I do forget the time difference..
…another one bites the dust. McClaren sacked by QPR.
Afternoon all!
And Martial goal wasn’t off-side too?
Afternoon all and thanks Rico.
It doesn`t matter about 4th, 3rd,2nd or 1st now as a new official directive from Brussells is that Brexit will mean no British teams will be able to play in Champions League or Europa League !………..so which of you fcukers voted to leave ? 👿
So Le Coq, how can teams from Sweden, Russsia, Ukraine etc. etc. Who are not part of the EU play in those tournaments. Project Fear was discredited long ago.
By the way have you noticed the date. Even in remote Cornwall it’s All Fools Day. 😉
My team selection for this evening :- Leno, Koscielny, Sokratis, Mavropanos, AMN, Kolasinac, Guendouzi, Xhaka, Ozil, Aubameyang, Lacazette.
My worst ever football memory involving Newcastle was the 1952 FA Cup Final at the old Wembley Stadium. George Robledo scored the only goal of the game to give The Magpies (Barcodes had yet to be invented then) a one nil win
A very distraught and tearful nine year old watched the coach loads of jubilant Geordie fans pass the end of our road on their way into the West End to celebrate.
We had to wait until 1998 for our revenge, two nil with goals from Overmars and Anelka. They do say that revenge is a dish best eaten cold. It was certainly very tasty.
Wasn’t that the game where the ball went out of play before the decisive cross came in for Robles to score? I’m sure I saw a photo of the incident some years ago, or am I confusing it with another Arsenal toon final a couple of years earlier?
Just asking?
2-0 to the Arsenal tonight. I’m quietly confident……….I think!
Sunny and bright and even near night!
I know what day it is, why do you think I wrote the comment, but none of you fcukers are thick ! hahaha
Arsenal Woman have already qualified for the Chjampions League.
Anyone watch………Britains Youngest Football Boss ?……………………..West Ham`s owners Sullivans son Jack aged 18 !…………….the boss of West Ham Womans team …………….it`s was on BBC 1 on Saturday night………..interesting if you like the womans game.
Absolutely right Wavy, there’s a YouTube video which plainly shows that the ball was clearly out of play before it was crossed.
Bad referee decisions are nothing new. 😉
Hey lads I think you will find that ………..”The Over The Line Final” was in 1932, not 1952 !………………………the memory is not as quick in you old timers ! 😆
1952 we played most of the game with 10 players after Wally
went off .
Arsenal: Leno, Mustafi, Papastathopoulos, Monreal, Maitland-Niles, Ramsey, Guendouzi, Kolasinac, Ozil, Iwobi, Lacazette.
Substitutes: Cech, Elneny, Mkhitaryan, Aubameyang, Suarez, Jenkinson, Nketiah
Evening guys..
Kos and Xhaka both injured..
I’m not confident…
Nice….
I wonder if Ramsey wants to have a change of mind. Arsenal too. 😜
Mustafi really is a liability…
A well earned points, but refereeing blunders continue. It should have been 3-0 and could have been 4-0. Bring on VAR.
At least Blind Pew and Co. didn’t cost us the game as has happened in the past.
YESSSSSSSS!
3-0 for sure CG. The keeper’s hand intervened as the replays showed.
C’mon you Gunners.
Excellent result, just what the doctor ordered. Appalling decision making by Anthony Taylor, just what we have come to expect from so called elite group referees.
Well done to Unai Emery, matching last season’s total points tally with games to spare, despite some odd selection decisions.
We must scored 4 for had 2 in our pocket
And about the yellow cards?
The referees are very difficult to undrestand…
Three valuable points and a fairly comfortable although Mustafi still looks a disaster waiting to happen.
Taylor is another dreadful ref.
I haven’t seen the game, just the highlights and there was only one-the table afterwards 🙂
Haven’t heard boo from any Spuds mate for a while now, and it’s rather enjoyable.
More evidence that we made a massive error regarding Ramseys contract.
He’s getting back towards his very best form and while I didn’t agree with paying him 200k at the time, seeing Juve happy to pay double says a hell of a lot but I’m hoping Emery has a replacement in mind, and again, I’m hoping it’s Rabiot.
On the first disallowed goal, I have to admit I thought it was a foul.
The defender was pulled back and was right in the vicinity to at least challenge for the ball so I couldn’t disagree with it.
Taylor’s still a rubbish ref but I can’t condemn him for that one.
After just seeing a very different camera angle, I’ll change my mind lol
That defender was nowhere near Ramsey or the ball.
Rick we ended up playing with 9 men in 1952, after Barnes went off one of our other defenders broke his arm, but carried on playing until he too had to succumb.
Yeah, 1932 was over the line, Bob John gave Arsenal the lead, Allen equalised from the cross that had been over the line, our defenders stopped waiting for a whistle, then Newcastle got the winner, don’t know who scored it, frankly don’t care, but yeah, 1998 was sweet for that reason.
I think Taylor got it right for the first goal. Soft admittedly but the right decision imo.
Morning all.
New post up.