What a week we’re having.
Unai Emery’s Europa record remains in tact. Arsenal head into the international break on a high. Things are looking very rosy going into the next phase of the season.
Last night was another bold setup from the manager. He played all the fan favourites like he did against United, and the result was just as exciting.
The evening was all about Auba. He scored two, landed an assist and dropped over the fence to get a Batman mask to celebrate with the fans.
He’s really put his season back on track after some brutal sniping about his talents. He’s scored important goals in big games, so hopefully, we can put the notion he doesn’t have the sauce at the highest level to bed.
It was also a very good evening for AMN. He’s really come into his own of late, another player who has taken beastly critique for no real reason. He scored his first goal in Europe – a powerful far post header. He made 4 tackles last night, had a 79% pass completion rate and he had an assist to the assistor. GOOD STUFF AMN.
Aaron Ramsey also had a Roy of the Rovers evening landing an assist whilst creating 3 chances.
That was a big night for Unai Emery. He needs to create big moments and that was a big moment. Regardless of who the opposition is, you still have to motivate your team to go out and play for you. He did that. The team looks like they are enjoying their football, it’s great to see the big names still fighting for the shirt in mid-March and it’s brilliant to see the football looking much better.
In the next round we have Napoli with the first game a home one.
This will be tough. They went out of their Champions League group in 3rd place, joint points with Liverpool. Carlo knows how to set up a team, and Napoli has a very good squad of players.
Still, most important thing here for me is it’s a good team. No sleeping in the away leg. We’ll be focused from the off. The first game is at home, which I think will suit us, because we’ll go away knowing what we’re chasing. I also think the glamour of the tie will excite the fans, so we’ll have a packed stadium.
In further good news, Spurs drew Man City in the CL. Absolutely thrilling to see that their battered squad is going to be run ragged by City three times in a single month. This really does look like the spiral of negativity Poch was so fond of talking about back in the day. United also have to get battered around by Barcelona is a sumptuous draw.
Shame that Liverpool were gifted Porto, but what are ya gonna do?
Right, onwards and upwards… we head into the international break. Time for a breather.
See you in the comments. x
Didn’t know DB10 no longer worked there. He had been there for 6 years up to Dec 17, so I suspect he may have had some influence on the present team….
Don
“Just because a team is better doesn’t mean they should be awarded shit decisions.”
I never said it did or that they should. You’ve just misunderstood what was said — and not for the first time.
The point being made was he had an influence on the current team at youth level and I’m saying that he hadn’t worked youth level since 2011 after that he took up an assistant manager with the senior team. And you factor in Frenkie De Jong and De Ligt at 19/20 and I’m not sure the timelines match up. It’s not basically an obvious thing to credit Dennis Bergkamp with some of the players now performing for Ajax. 7/8 years ago when he was assistant for the under 19’s Frenkie and De Ligt would have been what 10/11/13 odd? Would… Read more »
Bob
Actually, I wasn’t commenting on yesterday’s game. I was commenting on the influence referees have on matches in general. I said City “are” better, which they; I did not say they “were” better. I also said that even if Swansea were better yesterday — I don’t pretend to know — they clearly weren’t good enough, as you have to be good enough to overcome this or that call that doesn’t go your way. They weren’t.
Pierre
No idea what you’re talking about. Three questions: one, were Swansea good enough yesterday? Two, who is the better team — Swansea or City? Three, who will win the league this season — the best team overall, or the team who got the most beneficial calls?
Bamford
Then unpack that statement for me because it seems as though when asked the question over the result and ref decisions on the city game all you could come back with was “city are better”
We already know they are better but of what relevance is this to shitty refereeing decisions?
You may have well said “dogs bark” or “ I’m supporting Madrid if we don’t win more”
We are talking about the ref. Not which team has the better players
Only certain types peddle that referee conspiracy nonsense. If it wasn’t for them Arsene Wenger would have won like 22 league titles by now. It’s all very predictable. Some of them are just incompetent. It all evens itself out in the end
No idea what you’re talking about. Three questions: one, were Swansea good enough yesterday? Two, who is the better team — Swansea or City? Three, who will win the league this season — the best team overall, or the team who got the most beneficial calls?
Bamford
Again, what does this matter? Swansea were cheated. Who cares if city win the league. You think because they are better then they deserve bad decisions to go their way? Are you stupid? Do you have any common sense? What the hell are you on about?
Marko
Are you saying that bad referring dceuons haven’t cost us games? Or any other teams for that matter?
How about Chelsea and united teams bullying the refereee over the years and surrounding him? Didn’t happen? Didn’t play a factor? Get real.
clearly weren’t good enough, as you have to be good enough to overcome this or that call that doesn’t go your way. They weren’t.
Hahaha
So thick. So an inferior side battles a superior side to penalties and wins or a shit linesman and ref stitch them up and award an offside goal to city. Which is fair? You think Swansea city should just be better? Maybe they would have been if the ref gave them a penalty and cheated city out of the game.
What a dope
Bamford, let’s break this down for you. There is a clear argument that City’s 2nd and 3rd goals would have been disallowed if VAR. had been used.
Here’s the maths bit, if those two goals had been disallowed Swansea would have won by 2 goals to 1. Your argument that the final score always demonstrates who deserved to win is simplistic at best.
In order for a football match to be “fair” now, it has to involve VAR. This is hilarious. I guess we have had nothing but unfair football matches for 160 years.
Let’s go back to the old days when offsides were offsides and sending offs were sending offs.
I guess those rumors about how little money we ve got to spend in the summer is true. Even Monchi thought he cant make miracles happen with that chump change. Either that or Monchi has realized his level after Roma and decided big clubs aint his thing.
Every player should be offside not just the player receiving the ball.
Are you saying that bad referring dceuons haven’t cost us games? Or any other teams for that matter?
I’m saying they more or less even themselves out in the end and no we’re not especially affected by bad decisions. We’re not that special
From: The cantankerous old gentleman To: Pierre and Aubamazette Actually, all I’m pointing out is that there always seemed to be an excuse when things went pear shape. I will always question perceptions that don’t deal in reality. If that makes me cantankerous, so be it. Yes, I blamed many aspects on our failings on Wenger’s tactical naivety and not referring decisions or stupid conspiracy theories. When Arsenal lost to Liverpool 5-1 at Anfield earlier in the season, we lost because we were absolute shite and Emery showed tactical ineptitude. No frigging excuses. In many respects B10 is correct ”… Read more »
Bob “if those two goals had been disallowed Swansea would have won by 2 goals to 1” This entire argument is a bit pointless, but no, you can’t say the above. As we have explained here many times, if you change a decision, everything that followed that decision would also change. If City’s second goal had been disallowed, City would have continued to play as if they were down 2-1. We can’t say that they would have scored another goal, but we can’t say they wouldn’t have either. The fact that they did in fact score another goal — not… Read more »
VAR needs to be fine tuned.
It shouldn’t take 3 minutes to make a decision.
Within one minute you can make a call on any incident.
Get this sorted and we can all embrace the technology.
Messi and Ronaldo would look like Laurel and Hardy had the scoring greats of the past played under today’s rules.
Bamford
No
For a football match to be fair there can be no cheating or awarding of illegitimate goals, free kicks, penalties, corners, off sides that lead to goals
The referee was the man who gave man city victory yesterday
Not it’s players
Banford doesn’t think the refs performance had anything to do with the 4-4 with Newcastle. Says a lot about the guy.
Did you even watch that game? Especially before passing judgment like you did with the Swansea v city game without even watching it?
Let’s put it this way if VAR was used at the Liberty stadium City would likely be out if the cup.
If VAR was used at St James (that’s where Newcastle play for you late starters) we would never have drew that game.
New Guy I didn’t say the refs had “nothing” to do with our conceding four goals at St. James. I said that our letting them come back from four goals down was ultimately more down to the team than the refs, which it was. And I did watch that match, btw. As for the rest of your argument, you seem to be suggesting that a match cannot be fair without VAR. This is ridiculous. Again, sometimes calls go your way, sometimes they don’t. In general, it all evens out in the end, and in general, the better teams win in… Read more »
It’s embarrassong to even mention VAR after squandering a 4 goal lead….lol
Don
All of those things have been a part of the game for 160 years. Indeed, Arsenal have won any number of matches because of some of those things. This notion that a match can’t be fair unless every single call is absolutely correct is complete nonsense.
Red
Agreed.
A team with a 4 goal lead should still see the game out with 8 men.
Banford
‘The point remains that only silly people go on and on about refereeing decisions. In general and over the long run, referee decisions break for and against everyone equally, and in general, the better teams find a way to win, regardless of referee decisions’
No one is going on and on about refereeing decisions just one massive refereeing fuck up at st James that sticks in arsenal supporters throats because it was shambolic no matter how much you want to say otherwise. That is what ultimately decided that game.
Sczeney on Wilshere
He’s one of the greatest talents I ever met. Because of injuries, he now plays for West Ham rather than a big European club.”
Reality slaps in the face for Pedro and co, again. Monchi rejects us.
‘Anyone and everyone would love to work at this club’ they said.
Face it, Arsenal are not an attractive proposition at all under Satan Stanley.
Aubamazette
If you watched that game, there was one decision that you could say cost us and that was, thanks to Joey Barton, Diaby being sent off.
However from that moment onwards, both our players and manager fell apart and failed to fulfill their roles.
We capitulated.
Arsenal capitulating at St James Park was down to Wenger not refs blunder
Redtruth
Agreed.
If you remember Arsenal continued to try and play a similar system, even when Diaby left the field.
Away from home, in front of 50000+ pumped up Geordies, absolute suicide.
A genuine fan would feel ashamed by such an outcome.
Only those in denial would blame the officiating.
Simple.
Banford ‘As for the rest of your argument, you seem to be suggesting that a match cannot be fair without VAR. This is ridiculous.’ Why don’t you stick to what I’ve said about the match in question? Nowhere have I suggested that a match cannot be fair without VAR. I’ll repeat just so you can comprehend what I’ve said: The refereeing performance was that bad that it was the main contributing factor for us drawing that game. I’m not on about one dodgy offside call or a soft penalty. In that game it was an incorrect red (push not a… Read more »
Guys, stop arguing and come praise my new post
VVD is the best defender in the world according to some.
Van Djke the greatest!!!
Gives a freebie to Fulham
Had that been Mustafi we would have people frothing from the mouth.
Too many times Wenger sides folded.
A classic example, taking the lead in the 8th minute of injury time against Liverpool then conceding a penalty in the 9th minute of stoppage time….
Graham I was there. Sitting with the home support. It was the best 45 minutes I’d seen us play for a long time and the 2nd 45 were a disaster.
Yes we could have done things a bit better defensively but you can be set up as defensively as you can get and be tactically astute but it doesn’t stop the ref wanting to get involved if he wants to be centre of attention and give a red instead of a yellow and 2 soft pens.