It's a funny old game. Some players have lucky boots, shirts etc. and I am no different. In times of difficulty, when the Arsenal are taking a hammering I call the huskies to me and tell them we need wolf power. (You can laugh but it seems to work). Thus when one of them duly threw up at my feet I immediately knew the problem. Unchewable toffee. (Of course I mean Everton, I don't feed them on actual toffee but after today would happily feed them Darron Gibson) Today would not go well, the Gods had spoken.
It was a battle of steel and not wits, one that should have seen us win but for Giroud having left his boots at home and seeming to borrow the ever helpful Adebayour's. After much being made of rushing young Jack back to early it was a surprise to see him involved and then boss this. A Viera performance, full of blood and guts and a needed counter to some of the suspect tackling the Toffees started with. I had expected nothing less from Everton, who were ever fortunate to have eleven still involved especially after the ghost of Chopper Harris past, Darron Gibson had already received a yellow. The two shockers on Theo after without a further booking made me wonder what would have to happen for a card.
There's nothing funny about some of the injuries we've suffered, some so serious we thought we'd see an insurance payment before the player again. The prolonged assault made me wince. It's a man's game but you had to see this as an accident waiting to happen. Tomorrow will tell us more as to what this point cost us, I'm expecting a few issues after this.
Still, all being said this was dropped points and but for fielding a rubber hammer the toffees were there to be cracked. Which leads me to our favorite pin up, Oli. It's a view that given it's his first season that his return thus far is better than excepted. I actually subscribe to this and were he our second striker the next statement would be moot. Unfortunately though, he isn't. It's displays like today that make me wonder WTF. He relationship to the ball is often akin to Manson, he tries to murder it every time he takes a shot. Santi could show him placement and Poldi could show him that lifting his head as he shoots is not a good idea. I don't know what's up there that fascinates him so much but time and again he does it. Clinical is not his watch word. I've held fire to now, as Theo up front still doesn't make me feel like its any kind of answer, but I'm wondering... How about Poldi up front for Fulham? Worth a thought, I mean he can't do worse can he? Can he?
So for perhaps the second time this season I find myself wanting the Arsenal to buy a bigger hammer. A brutal destroyer that can inflict a bit of fear and respect back into our midfield. We just don't have one and I expect this to be addressed end of term. Adding to this a sharper knife at the cutting end. A hammer and Sickle as it were. Step up Lukas Josef Podolski. Perhaps this is the comrade we are looking for. While I expect us to add a new face up front end of term, Poldi seems a good option till then.
With AW saying he is grooming him as a striker, maybe deploying him there now would have two effects. Firstly, he does well and everyone smiles, secondly he does ok, but AW realizes we still need Radamel Falcao García Zárate or (fill names in here). This would allay my fear that this grooming means no purchase of talent up front next season. Either way, it gives Oli a few games on the bench to discover where he left his shooting boots.
Fulham next. I'm waiting to see the team sheet before I don any sack cloth or party frocks. Till then...
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Monday, April 15, 2013
Monday and I have Tuesday on my mInd
It's the crack of noon, time to get up and do my rock squats.
Looking out the window to see dark angry skies roll past the palm trees seems a little surreal here in the City of Angels. My sole thought over a nice cupper was that today wasn't a top down day. It's hard living here, let me tell you.
Having thus performed this spectacular physical repertoire and thorough meteorological analysis I discard the paper and think of the morn, the Toffees and all that brings. For the first time this year our recent form has us looking back at our rivals. with much being made of the Chavs and Tiny Tots, hardly a word has been published about the blue sleeper from Liverpool. On something of a blue streak themselves (I know, I know I can't resist at least one pun a post) the stats tell me its been all Arsenal in these encounters since 2007 I still have to take a crafty look at their team and thanks to the wonders of the intraweb am now aux fait with their current setup, and thanks to some wonderfully written and passionate blogs; up to speed with the expectancy of the blue half of Liverpool.
So everyone expects us to win a close game. That all being said anything can happen in football and usually does. Save for Everton taking it upon themselves to score 4 own goals ala Catania vs, Inter Milan, we'll need to both turn up and play well.
Tactically I don't think this will be destroy the bus.
We have some forced absences through injury with the main one to Łukasz Fabiański meaning a possible return from wherever AW has banished Wojciech Szczęsny. Not even making the last two benches has not gone unnoticed. Still, like the two Huskies at my feet, good things can come from Siberia! Maybe it's all these clouds above my head making me see the silver lining.
The real question is given Lukas Josef Podolski a deserved start or sticking with the God of Chaos, the enigma that is Gervinho. Now a few may have had the pleasure of spending many hours over a gaming table playing Warhammer and if so may have faced the ball and chain wielding Goblin. I almost hear Gervais saying Wheeeee! every time he gets the ball and instantly pings off on another chaotic rampage, seeming to follow the ball rather than the other way around, this ball remarkably tethered to his toes as he pirouettes and whirls at the opposition.
One remarkable turn of play last outing saw him dance, shimmy and take the ball from inside mid to outside left and turn in the best cross of the season... to no-one. It's all good being a complete mystery to the opposition, it's another when it's to your own team as well. It's easy to say he brings something that the likes of the Ox and Theo don't, that his meandering runs pull teams all over the chip shop and make space for our creatives and tire the opposition. Giving our super subs, speed merchants and fusileer in OX, Theo and Poldi greater chance at success. That's the silver lining talking. However I think it's time we started Poldi and left Captain Chaos on the bench for once.
Everton have some quality, but in Marouane Fellaini-Bakkioui they have themselves someone who can be mercurial as well as petulant. I'm not a fan of his temperament but one cannot argue he has the ability to ram raid with the best of them. His physical presence needs dealing with, so I hope for a return for Per and Kos, our dynamic duo. Limiting the bash and crash might prove highly important in the opening 30 which will no doubt see the Toffees mix it up and pile most of their play through the air aimed at our center. To wit I think bringing back Naxto would help as defensively he has the edge over Gibs and with Poldi on the left we have enough threat to warrant a more defensive player. Both Thomas Vermaelen and Gibs have a tendency to be caught out of position having rampaged aggressively in the other half, so a more conservative choice would help to nullify the few options Everton have and a more physical presence in defence beats pace.
So due to poor planning and the lifestyle of the not so rich and infamous I'll be watching this titanic clash live on the telly and not at the Em. 11.45am kickoff means 3.45am here and an all nighter ahead... good God, it's a going to be a long day.
Cue Matchbox 20...
Postscript . Clearly the news from Boston scrambled my cognitive processors as the 11.45am was indeed LA time and I have no idea why I thought we'd be playing that early on a week day back home. Thoughts, hearts and minds go out to everyone touched by the bombings. It's scant comfort I know, but we had the same thing happen to us on a weekly basis back in the 90's in London. We managed, I put that down to the tea. No stiff upper lips necessary. Just keep calm and carry on that way they can never win. Ever.
Looking out the window to see dark angry skies roll past the palm trees seems a little surreal here in the City of Angels. My sole thought over a nice cupper was that today wasn't a top down day. It's hard living here, let me tell you.
Having thus performed this spectacular physical repertoire and thorough meteorological analysis I discard the paper and think of the morn, the Toffees and all that brings. For the first time this year our recent form has us looking back at our rivals. with much being made of the Chavs and Tiny Tots, hardly a word has been published about the blue sleeper from Liverpool. On something of a blue streak themselves (I know, I know I can't resist at least one pun a post) the stats tell me its been all Arsenal in these encounters since 2007 I still have to take a crafty look at their team and thanks to the wonders of the intraweb am now aux fait with their current setup, and thanks to some wonderfully written and passionate blogs; up to speed with the expectancy of the blue half of Liverpool.
So everyone expects us to win a close game. That all being said anything can happen in football and usually does. Save for Everton taking it upon themselves to score 4 own goals ala Catania vs, Inter Milan, we'll need to both turn up and play well.
Tactically I don't think this will be destroy the bus.
We have some forced absences through injury with the main one to Łukasz Fabiański meaning a possible return from wherever AW has banished Wojciech Szczęsny. Not even making the last two benches has not gone unnoticed. Still, like the two Huskies at my feet, good things can come from Siberia! Maybe it's all these clouds above my head making me see the silver lining.
The real question is given Lukas Josef Podolski a deserved start or sticking with the God of Chaos, the enigma that is Gervinho. Now a few may have had the pleasure of spending many hours over a gaming table playing Warhammer and if so may have faced the ball and chain wielding Goblin. I almost hear Gervais saying Wheeeee! every time he gets the ball and instantly pings off on another chaotic rampage, seeming to follow the ball rather than the other way around, this ball remarkably tethered to his toes as he pirouettes and whirls at the opposition.
One remarkable turn of play last outing saw him dance, shimmy and take the ball from inside mid to outside left and turn in the best cross of the season... to no-one. It's all good being a complete mystery to the opposition, it's another when it's to your own team as well. It's easy to say he brings something that the likes of the Ox and Theo don't, that his meandering runs pull teams all over the chip shop and make space for our creatives and tire the opposition. Giving our super subs, speed merchants and fusileer in OX, Theo and Poldi greater chance at success. That's the silver lining talking. However I think it's time we started Poldi and left Captain Chaos on the bench for once.
Everton have some quality, but in Marouane Fellaini-Bakkioui they have themselves someone who can be mercurial as well as petulant. I'm not a fan of his temperament but one cannot argue he has the ability to ram raid with the best of them. His physical presence needs dealing with, so I hope for a return for Per and Kos, our dynamic duo. Limiting the bash and crash might prove highly important in the opening 30 which will no doubt see the Toffees mix it up and pile most of their play through the air aimed at our center. To wit I think bringing back Naxto would help as defensively he has the edge over Gibs and with Poldi on the left we have enough threat to warrant a more defensive player. Both Thomas Vermaelen and Gibs have a tendency to be caught out of position having rampaged aggressively in the other half, so a more conservative choice would help to nullify the few options Everton have and a more physical presence in defence beats pace.
So due to poor planning and the lifestyle of the not so rich and infamous I'll be watching this titanic clash live on the telly and not at the Em. 11.45am kickoff means 3.45am here and an all nighter ahead... good God, it's a going to be a long day.
Cue Matchbox 20...
Postscript . Clearly the news from Boston scrambled my cognitive processors as the 11.45am was indeed LA time and I have no idea why I thought we'd be playing that early on a week day back home. Thoughts, hearts and minds go out to everyone touched by the bombings. It's scant comfort I know, but we had the same thing happen to us on a weekly basis back in the 90's in London. We managed, I put that down to the tea. No stiff upper lips necessary. Just keep calm and carry on that way they can never win. Ever.
Saturday, April 13, 2013
Stress Addicts Anonymous Local Chapter 69
....and breathe.
Afternoon, My name is Ari and I'm addicted to stress. It's been 1 day since I last watched the Arsenal...
OK so there's no such thing but I'm beginning to think there should be. After again holding onto the football like a Leprechaun to his pot of gold we saw ourselves go one nil down to a rather well worked set piece. Cue the picking of the finger nails. It doesn't matter that the free kick should never have been given when a Canary tripped over his own clown shoes and was awarded for the pratfall with a free kick. It didn't matter a suspended BFG was not there to place a meaty forehead to the incoming ball. It only mattered that they put it in. So we faced an almost farcical situation again... being far the better team, having most of the ball and being a goal down.
At this point I think Norwich helped us out with their attempt to get into the Guinness Book of Records for 'Most Time Wasted in a Single Match'. (side note, the Norwich keeper Bunn is a boyhood Spurs supporter and no-one did more to achieve this record breaking attempt than him) The Crowd's nervy energy turned to anger and I quipped "Time for the law of return". As any good Wicca can attest, it is visited upon the transgressor threefold. While most muttered we just need a goal, a single point could after all prove invaluable, I held on for the win, the psychological weight this puts on our London rivals shouldn't be underestimated and even I was beginning to accept a point when a miracle happened.
Step up Kei Kamara. I'm sure the Olympic Judo selection committee will be in touch for what was a perfect Waza-Ari hip throw. Oli was lucky to be still wearing his top and the canary back slapping soon turned to incredulous cries of dismay and then anger as they mobbed the linesman. Penalty. Up comes Arteta. Boom, one all it is then and game on. Again it was good to see Arteta immediately grab the ball and hurry back. Shows the team wanted to win. I guess a few managers would have shut up shop, seeing the last 5 minutes plus extra time out, but to his credit, Arsene reacted to his team's obvious desire and drive to win this, making some attacking substitutions. The Ox had the assist for number two, but I admit I can't tell who put that in, Oli or Bassong. (Still we'll claim it for Oli, who I'm, not sure what else he has to do to get some supporters on his side... some of the so called super transfers we're in for according to the media have worse returns!) It wouldn't be Stress Addicts Anonymous unless we had a little more drama and Jonny Howson duly obliged, bringing out a wonderful stop by the Fab one. The last goal and the completion of the Wicca curse was a lovely curler through traffic by Poldi. It was sublime, not only for the goal, the win but the look on the Bunn man's face as his Sith like campaign of negativity was left in tatters by the 20 yarder. Priceless.
So we're 3rd. The pressure shifts to others now, but the desire to win has been there to see these last weeks. All we need to do now is keep winning. Simples.
OK, I'm sure it won't be as easy as all that, but in all honesty, looking at the games to play for the L3, I think this could be over mathematically by the time Man U play us. After the world and it's dog all but rubbing their hands in glee with the thoughts of us not being in the CL, its with some pride I look at the table and the true reflection of what our players have achieved the last 6 weeks. If it's down to a single speech, it surely must have been one of Churchillian order. I'm sure it's been a mixture of this, the support getting behind the players rather than waving black scarves and the sheer pride and quality the team have.
We know making the CL doesn't change the club issues, it rather detracts a further one and both sides of this debate have come to these issues through a genuine love of the Arsenal and want nothing more than to see us regain our former glories. I'm not touching this debate till the last kick of the season, till then I will sing, shout, clap and will our players to win. we have no divine right to do so, it will take an Herculean effort by mere mortals to pull this off. So sing you Spartans! Onwards... to glory.
Afternoon, My name is Ari and I'm addicted to stress. It's been 1 day since I last watched the Arsenal...
OK so there's no such thing but I'm beginning to think there should be. After again holding onto the football like a Leprechaun to his pot of gold we saw ourselves go one nil down to a rather well worked set piece. Cue the picking of the finger nails. It doesn't matter that the free kick should never have been given when a Canary tripped over his own clown shoes and was awarded for the pratfall with a free kick. It didn't matter a suspended BFG was not there to place a meaty forehead to the incoming ball. It only mattered that they put it in. So we faced an almost farcical situation again... being far the better team, having most of the ball and being a goal down.
At this point I think Norwich helped us out with their attempt to get into the Guinness Book of Records for 'Most Time Wasted in a Single Match'. (side note, the Norwich keeper Bunn is a boyhood Spurs supporter and no-one did more to achieve this record breaking attempt than him) The Crowd's nervy energy turned to anger and I quipped "Time for the law of return". As any good Wicca can attest, it is visited upon the transgressor threefold. While most muttered we just need a goal, a single point could after all prove invaluable, I held on for the win, the psychological weight this puts on our London rivals shouldn't be underestimated and even I was beginning to accept a point when a miracle happened.
Step up Kei Kamara. I'm sure the Olympic Judo selection committee will be in touch for what was a perfect Waza-Ari hip throw. Oli was lucky to be still wearing his top and the canary back slapping soon turned to incredulous cries of dismay and then anger as they mobbed the linesman. Penalty. Up comes Arteta. Boom, one all it is then and game on. Again it was good to see Arteta immediately grab the ball and hurry back. Shows the team wanted to win. I guess a few managers would have shut up shop, seeing the last 5 minutes plus extra time out, but to his credit, Arsene reacted to his team's obvious desire and drive to win this, making some attacking substitutions. The Ox had the assist for number two, but I admit I can't tell who put that in, Oli or Bassong. (Still we'll claim it for Oli, who I'm, not sure what else he has to do to get some supporters on his side... some of the so called super transfers we're in for according to the media have worse returns!) It wouldn't be Stress Addicts Anonymous unless we had a little more drama and Jonny Howson duly obliged, bringing out a wonderful stop by the Fab one. The last goal and the completion of the Wicca curse was a lovely curler through traffic by Poldi. It was sublime, not only for the goal, the win but the look on the Bunn man's face as his Sith like campaign of negativity was left in tatters by the 20 yarder. Priceless.
So we're 3rd. The pressure shifts to others now, but the desire to win has been there to see these last weeks. All we need to do now is keep winning. Simples.
OK, I'm sure it won't be as easy as all that, but in all honesty, looking at the games to play for the L3, I think this could be over mathematically by the time Man U play us. After the world and it's dog all but rubbing their hands in glee with the thoughts of us not being in the CL, its with some pride I look at the table and the true reflection of what our players have achieved the last 6 weeks. If it's down to a single speech, it surely must have been one of Churchillian order. I'm sure it's been a mixture of this, the support getting behind the players rather than waving black scarves and the sheer pride and quality the team have.
We know making the CL doesn't change the club issues, it rather detracts a further one and both sides of this debate have come to these issues through a genuine love of the Arsenal and want nothing more than to see us regain our former glories. I'm not touching this debate till the last kick of the season, till then I will sing, shout, clap and will our players to win. we have no divine right to do so, it will take an Herculean effort by mere mortals to pull this off. So sing you Spartans! Onwards... to glory.
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