Still in the running.

For second or third place, if we beat Liverpool tonight.
We'll probably start with a similar line-up - thrid time lucky? Will AA score some goals against Liverpool again? I hope so.

jpr60 wrote:For second or third place, if we beat Liverpool tonight.
We'll probably start with a similar line-up - thrid time lucky? Will AA score some goals against Liverpool again? I hope so.

Well that has just guaranteed that you lose... sods law and all that

FrenchSpur wrote:

jpr60 wrote:For second or third place, if we beat Liverpool tonight.
We'll probably start with a similar line-up - thrid time lucky? Will AA score some goals against Liverpool again? I hope so.

Well that has just guaranteed that you lose... sods law and all that

I would have thought jpr would have learned the folly of pre-match predictions by now. Perhaps he has and has forgotten
Now, why DID I come into the lounge?

jak wrote:

FrenchSpur wrote:

jpr60 wrote:For second or third place, if we beat Liverpool tonight.
We'll probably start with a similar line-up - thrid time lucky? Will AA score some goals against Liverpool again? I hope so.

Well that has just guaranteed that you lose... sods law and all that

I would have thought jpr would have learned the folly of pre-match predictions by now. Perhaps he has and has forgotten
Now, why DID I come into the lounge?

Actually chaps, that wasn't a prediction, it was a message of hope (see 'if we beat Liverpool' and 'I hope so').
Anyway we did and it was sooooooooooo nice to see us score again - a headed 'old-fashioned' goal too - whatever next?

Always nice to beat Liverpool but beating Benitez's Liverpool is most enjoyable.

Made hard work of beating Sunderland - our forward play deserved an easier, bigger win but full credit to the team for keeping at the job.
Bendtner, Nasri, Wallcot & Ramsey all worked well, Cesc seemed a bit impatient today, got yellow-carded for absolutely nothing whilst their captain went in on Eboue with a two-footed jump and only received a yellow. Song was a touch quiet and the defence, as a unit had it's usual nervous moments although Almunia appeared to be in control when called upon. The revelation was Eboue, who started at right-back and put the Sunderland defence under pressure from the off. He made Bendtner's goal and created several other opportunities. He limped away from the two-footed challenge but stayed on and when Sagna came on late in the game Eboue ran riot in a free midfield roll - power, speed - pretty impressive!
I'll accept 2-0 from each of our remaining matches!

jpr60 wrote:Made hard work of beating Sunderland - our forward play deserved an easier, bigger win but full credit to the team for keeping at the job.
Bendtner, Nasri, Wallcot & Ramsey all worked well, Cesc seemed a bit impatient today, got yellow-carded for absolutely nothing whilst their captain went in on Eboue with a two-footed jump and only received a yellow. Song was a touch quiet and the defence, as a unit had it's usual nervous moments although Almunia appeared to be in control when called upon. The revelation was Eboue, who started at right-back and put the Sunderland defence under pressure from the off. He made Bendtner's goal and created several other opportunities. He limped away from the two-footed challenge but stayed on and when Sagna came on late in the game Eboue ran riot in a free midfield roll - power, speed - pretty impressive!
I'll accept 2-0 from each of our remaining matches!

Amazingly you guys are back in it, I still think Chelsea will do it but their run in is certainly littered with tough games.

jpr60 wrote:Made hard work of beating Sunderland - our forward play deserved an easier, bigger win but full credit to the team for keeping at the job.
Bendtner, Nasri, Wallcot & Ramsey all worked well, Cesc seemed a bit impatient today, got yellow-carded for absolutely nothing whilst their captain went in on Eboue with a two-footed jump and only received a yellow. Song was a touch quiet and the defence, as a unit had it's usual nervous moments although Almunia appeared to be in control when called upon. The revelation was Eboue, who started at right-back and put the Sunderland defence under pressure from the off. He made Bendtner's goal and created several other opportunities. He limped away from the two-footed challenge but stayed on and when Sagna came on late in the game Eboue ran riot in a free midfield roll - power, speed - pretty impressive!
I'll accept 2-0 from each of our remaining matches!

I like Eboue, despite his occasional antics. He's strong going forward and works hard. We look far more dangerous when he's in the side.

jak wrote:

jpr60 wrote:Made hard work of beating Sunderland - our forward play deserved an easier, bigger win but full credit to the team for keeping at the job.
Bendtner, Nasri, Wallcot & Ramsey all worked well, Cesc seemed a bit impatient today, got yellow-carded for absolutely nothing whilst their captain went in on Eboue with a two-footed jump and only received a yellow. Song was a touch quiet and the defence, as a unit had it's usual nervous moments although Almunia appeared to be in control when called upon. The revelation was Eboue, who started at right-back and put the Sunderland defence under pressure from the off. He made Bendtner's goal and created several other opportunities. He limped away from the two-footed challenge but stayed on and when Sagna came on late in the game Eboue ran riot in a free midfield roll - power, speed - pretty impressive!
I'll accept 2-0 from each of our remaining matches!

I like Eboue, despite his occasional antics. He's strong going forward and works hard. We look far more dangerous when he's in the side.

This bloke has gone from being a joke figure, booed off the pitch not that long ago, to something of a cult figure. One of the highest-selling shirt names is an Eboue shirt! I still reckon he's a bit of a joke, in the nicest possible way but the fact that he's added power to his natural speed and a certain end-game to his natural trickery (again, in all senses of the word) means he's a net asset to the squad -something that wasn't always obvious (at least to me)!

jpr60 wrote:

jak wrote:

jpr60 wrote:Made hard work of beating Sunderland - our forward play deserved an easier, bigger win but full credit to the team for keeping at the job.
Bendtner, Nasri, Wallcot & Ramsey all worked well, Cesc seemed a bit impatient today, got yellow-carded for absolutely nothing whilst their captain went in on Eboue with a two-footed jump and only received a yellow. Song was a touch quiet and the defence, as a unit had it's usual nervous moments although Almunia appeared to be in control when called upon. The revelation was Eboue, who started at right-back and put the Sunderland defence under pressure from the off. He made Bendtner's goal and created several other opportunities. He limped away from the two-footed challenge but stayed on and when Sagna came on late in the game Eboue ran riot in a free midfield roll - power, speed - pretty impressive!
I'll accept 2-0 from each of our remaining matches!

I like Eboue, despite his occasional antics. He's strong going forward and works hard. We look far more dangerous when he's in the side.

This bloke has gone from being a joke figure, booed off the pitch not that long ago, to something of a cult figure. One of the highest-selling shirt names is an Eboue shirt! I still reckon he's a bit of a joke, in the nicest possible way but the fact that he's added power to his natural speed and a certain end-game to his natural trickery (again, in all senses of the word) means he's a net asset to the squad -something that wasn't always obvious (at least to me)!

jpr. Isn't it ironic that two players who have been absolutely berated by many fans, Song and Eboue, are now being seen in a completely different light.
Having watched football for many years it never ceases to amaze me how some players come under the evil eye while others who are equally or even more deserving of criticism escape for yonks.
A prime example is Song and Denilson. Song was slated while he was given limited opportunities to settle into the first team. Denilson was a regular, regularly performing poorly, yet it has taken ages for his card to be marked. Why?
Is it because Denilson is Brazilian and Brazilians MUST be good? I don't know.
What I do know is that we have a few players who are out of their depth, certainly physically, in the top flight and some who need to pick up their work rate if they want to make it at the top.

jak wrote:

jpr60 wrote:

jak wrote:

jpr60 wrote:Made hard work of beating Sunderland - our forward play deserved an easier, bigger win but full credit to the team for keeping at the job.
Bendtner, Nasri, Wallcot & Ramsey all worked well, Cesc seemed a bit impatient today, got yellow-carded for absolutely nothing whilst their captain went in on Eboue with a two-footed jump and only received a yellow. Song was a touch quiet and the defence, as a unit had it's usual nervous moments although Almunia appeared to be in control when called upon. The revelation was Eboue, who started at right-back and put the Sunderland defence under pressure from the off. He made Bendtner's goal and created several other opportunities. He limped away from the two-footed challenge but stayed on and when Sagna came on late in the game Eboue ran riot in a free midfield roll - power, speed - pretty impressive!
I'll accept 2-0 from each of our remaining matches!

I like Eboue, despite his occasional antics. He's strong going forward and works hard. We look far more dangerous when he's in the side.

This bloke has gone from being a joke figure, booed off the pitch not that long ago, to something of a cult figure. One of the highest-selling shirt names is an Eboue shirt! I still reckon he's a bit of a joke, in the nicest possible way but the fact that he's added power to his natural speed and a certain end-game to his natural trickery (again, in all senses of the word) means he's a net asset to the squad -something that wasn't always obvious (at least to me)!

jpr. Isn't it ironic that two players who have been absolutely berated by many fans, Song and Eboue, are now being seen in a completely different light.
Having watched football for many years it never ceases to amaze me how some players come under the evil eye while others who are equally or even more deserving of criticism escape for yonks.
A prime example is Song and Denilson. Song was slated while he was given limited opportunities to settle into the first team. Denilson was a regular, regularly performing poorly, yet it has taken ages for his card to be marked. Why?
Is it because Denilson is Brazilian and Brazilians MUST be good? I don't know.
What I do know is that we have a few players who are out of their depth, certainly physically, in the top flight and some who need to pick up their work rate if they want to make it at the top.

It goes to show that what we see, choose to see or even understand on the pitch isn't necessarily what players have to offer. Over the years I recall several players beeing slated at Arsenal, some of whom I must admit I didn't rate, others I thought were criticised unecessarily but all of whom I felt extremely sorry for at one stage or another. Gus Caeser was the classic can't-do-anything-right defender, John Radford was initially pilloried for being leggy, awkward, clumsy, Jon Sammels was murdered for reasons I still don't understand to this day but I must admit to Song being the one player I've seen who just didn't have a future/didn't have the right to wear the shirt, he was so bad! Denilson I always quite liked because he seemed to have the spirit, he was young and would improve and he certainly had the skills. Well I have to say he seems to have taken a backward step this season whereas Song has just proved to me how wrong one can be - he is an amazing asset in the midfield, seems cool under pressure, can dig in for the ball and goes forward with menace.
I assume Arsene knows - we all just think we do!

And, amazingly we're still in the running! Now without Ramsey for a good, long while, without Song for the next two matches but we're still in with a shout.
Perhaps all the injuries don't matter after all, the defensive errors - the fact that referees fail to see obvious penalties (I think there were just the two out of three not given today - hey we got lucky, the ref actually saw one)! A long way to go but we've still something to play for.

jpr60 wrote:And, amazingly we're still in the running! Now without Ramsey for a good, long while, without Song for the next two matches but we're still in with a shout.
Perhaps all the injuries don't matter after all, the defensive errors - the fact that referees fail to see obvious penalties (I think there were just the two out of three not given today - hey we got lucky, the ref actually saw one)! A long way to go but we've still something to play for.

I was delighted ye won tonight, jp. Be great and awesome to see ye win the league as well.

Another win, although how we didn't score eight I'll never know! Bendtner somehow managed to not score despite at least five good opportunities, two of which my mother would have scored, both AA and Eduardo missed good opportunities too although AA did, at least fire in a cracker at the death - well, he had to, you can't go round sporting a haircut like that and not do the business on the pitch.
Excellent performances from Theo and Nasri, I thought, Eboue and Rosicky looked sharp too - just hope Captain Cesc manages to shake off that recurring hamstring problem.
Three points were needed, three points were achieved - keep it up lads. Hull next in the league and a ECL match against Porto on Tuesday, there's work to be done!

Was listening to the build up to the game yesterday and they said that Arsenal have had 8 players out injured for 6 weeks or more.

Considering the injuries you have had, its amazing that you are still in for the title really

MrMagoo wrote:Was listening to the build up to the game yesterday and they said that Arsenal have had 8 players out injured for 6 weeks or more.

Considering the injuries you have had, its amazing that you are still in for the title really

Yes, it's certainly been a strange, up-and-down season and I don't recall us ever having had so many injuries. The fact that we're still in with some sort of chance for the title and the ECL is amazing, I'm hoping it'll go to the death!

Hull next, at their place. Probably without Captain Cesc, maybe without a couple of others too - Campbell will be hard-pressed to take another match so soon, Sagna seems to be carrying an injury and Nasri was strapped up during the Porto game. Another challenge for Arsene's squad but the way they seem to be feeling right now I'd not be surprised to see us overrun Hull and I do so want to add a nail in the Perma-Tanned-One's coffin. Keep up the fine work lads!

Squeezed a win - should have done better but the three points are important. Nice to see Bendtner on hand to strike the winner, AA scored a good'n but missed a couple of easy chances to clinch the game - hey, I'm not complaining, we're still innit, innit?

Innit.

Another challenge - London derby, West Ham fighting for survival. Can we do it? Yes we can!

JPR, surely your goal difference will be a lot better after tomorrow

villanfromluton wrote:JPR, surely your goal difference will be a lot better after tomorrow

Why?

villanfromluton wrote:JPR, surely your goal difference will be a lot better after tomorrow

I never predict football but I really want to stick it to West Ham at the weekend. So I won't predict, I'll just hope.

Well 2-0. That'll do.